Thousands dead in the massacre of the monks

The Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | September 30, 2007

[Stoat]

Thousands dead in the massacre of the monks

Last updated at 01:05am on 1st October 2007

Comments Thousands of protesters are dead and the bodies of hundreds of executed monks have been dumped in the jungle, a former intelligence officer for Burma's ruling junta has revealed.

The most senior official to defect so far, Hla Win, said: 'Many more people have been killed in recent days than you've heard about. The bodies can be counted in several thousand.'

Mr Win, who spoke out as a Swedish diplomat predicted that the revolt has failed, said he fled when he was ordered to take part in a massacre of holy men. He has now reached the border with Thailand.

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hundreds of executed monks have been dumped in the jungle and been beaten

 

Reports from other exiles along the frontier confirmed that hundreds of monks had simply ' disappeared' as 20,000 troops swarmed around Rangoon yesterday to prevent further demonstrations by religious groups and civilians.

Word reaching dissidents hiding out on the border suggested that as well as executions, some 2,000 monks are being held in the notorious Insein Prison or in university rooms which have been turned into cells.

There were reports that many were savagely beaten at a sports ground on the outskirts of Rangoon, where they were heard crying for help.

Others who had failed to escape disguised as civilians were locked in their bloodstained temples.

There, troops abandoned religious beliefs, propped their rifles against statues of Buddha and began cooking meals on stoves set up in shrines.

In stark contrast, the streets of Rangoon and Mandalay - centres of the attempted saffron revolution last week - were virtually deserted yesterday.

A Swedish diplomat who visited Burma during the protests said last night that in her opinion the revolution has failed.

Liselotte Agerlid, who is now in Thailand, said that the Burmese people now face possibly decades of repression. 'The Burma revolt is over,' she added.

'The military regime won and a new generation has been violently repressed and violently denied democracy. The people in the street were young people, monks and civilians who were not participating during the 1988 revolt.

'Now the military has cracked down the revolt, and the result may very well be that the regime will enjoy another 20 years of silence, ruling by fear.'

Mrs Agerlid said Rangoon is heavily guarded by soldiers.

'There are extremely high numbers of soldiers in Rangoon's streets,' she added. 'Anyone can see it is absolutely impossible for any demonstration to gather, or for anyone to do anything.

'People are scared and the general assessment is that the fight is over. We were informed from one of the largest embassies in Burma that 40 monks in the Insein prison were beaten to death today and subsequently burned.'

The diplomat also said that three monasteries were raided yesterday afternoon and are now totally abandoned. At his border hideout last night, 42-year-old Mr Win said he hopes to cross into Thailand and seek asylum at the Norwegian Embassy.

The 42-year-old chief of military intelligence in Rangoon's northern region, added: 'I decided to desert when I was ordered to raid two monasteries and force several hundred monks onto trucks.

'They were to be killed and their bodies dumped deep inside the jungle. I refused to participate in this.'

With his teenage son, he made his escape from Rangoon, leaving behind his wife and two other sons.

He had no fears for their safety because his brother is a powerful general who, he believes, will defend the family.

Mr Win's defection will raise a faint hope among tens of thousands of Burmese who have fled to villages along the Thai border.

They will feel others in the army may follow him and turn on their ageing leaders, Senior General Than Shwe and his deputy, Vice Senior General Maung Aye.

UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari is still trying to set up a meeting with General Shwe.

[af_vet_rr]

I’m saying the media in this country wouldn’t. That Japanese journalist was very brave, but the typical journalists that the US churns out would rather stand in front of a green screen than go over there and find out.

[BenLurkin]

I was just explaining to my kid the other day how Ghandi wasn’t a great man — he was just lucky that the British were an exceptionally civilized nation.

Mahatma Ghandi would have failed had the British been as ruthless as are most third world rulers.

[maine-iac7]

How many days did the world just stand by and do nothing?

What is the purpose of the UN = oh, yes, I forgot: to control the world. Can’t be bothered with the little people in Burma or Dafur etc etc - the ghosts of 800,000 slaughtered Rwandans still cry out -If there's no power or money to be gained for the UN the UN sees nothing.

These poor, brave people were, no doubt, under the illusion that in this age of TV, Internet, etc - that the world would come to their aid.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

maybe you would do us the courtesy of providing something to back up your claims?

[TBall]

Saying prayers. Bump

[EternalVigilance]

Very true.

[Brilliant]

But will “thousands” be enough???

I question whether this will be a repeat of the prior uprising. My suspicion is that the monks will take it much further, particularly given the support among free nations, like the US.

[Age of Reason]

I guess the figures on this banner will have to be amended

Actually no.

We've started a new century, so the count begins anew.

[TigersEye]

You're quite right about that. Most U.S. journalists won't even check the AP or Reuters wires. They'll just wait for their connection at Media Matters to tell them what to report.

The Japanese journalist was brave but I expect he never thought that soldier would shoot him. Even the jihadi scum usually avoid doing that. That is how arrogant the Myanmar military junta is. They don't care how they look in the eyes of the world. Beijing even told them to avoid violence, albeit a mild suggestion, and they ignored that.

[Vince Ferrer]

I’m surprised by the silence from Hollywood about this.

They're still trying to free Tibet.

[DaveTesla]

Gen. NE WIN ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ne_Win ) dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently transferred to house arrest, where she remains virtually incommunicado. In February 2006, the junta extended her detention for another year. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed.

Burma remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated production in 2005 of 380 metric tons, up 13% from 2004 and cultivation in 2005 was 40,000 hectares, a 10% increase from 2004

In summary, a self empowered oppressive regime financed by opium.

The monks want a Democratic elected government and the Communist regime (Burma Socialist Programme Party)
is silencing them.

[Think free or die]

May God Bless the brave martyred monks and Burmese citizens and may He give the survivors solace and strength.

[Stoat]

But will “thousands” be enough???

I question whether this will be a repeat of the prior uprising. My suspicion is that the monks will take it much further, particularly given the support among free nations, like the US.

My great hope is that the monks will not turn to martyrdom but to freedom.  Hopefully an effective 'underground railroad' can be established that will allow vast numbers of people to escape this murderous regime.

When the country is emptied of a great segment of it's population, there will be no one to tend the crops or to operate public services, and the 'Government' will collapse or be overthrown.

Lengths of Myanmar's borders with neighboring countries as well as it's coastline:

China - 2192 km (1362 miles)

India - 1331 km ( 827 miles)

Bangladesh - 256 km ( 157 miles)

Thailand - 2096 km (1302 miles)

Laos - 224 km ( 139 miles)

Coast Line - 2276 km (1414 miles)

source:

http://www.myanmar-information.net/political/english.pdf

I would suggest that a nation with borders such as these would be far more difficult to seal effectively than it has been for North Korea, as an example.

Sadly, however, I believe that what you suggest may indeed take place and many more will die.

But will “thousands” be enough???

I question whether this will be a repeat of the prior uprising. My suspicion is that the monks will take it much further, particularly given the support among free nations, like the US.

[af_vet_rr]

You're quite right about that. Most U.S. journalists won't even check the AP or Reuters wires. They'll just wait for their connection at Media Matters to tell them what to report.

The Japanese journalist was brave but I expect he never thought that soldier would shoot him. Even the jihadi scum usually avoid doing that. That is how arrogant the Myanmar military junta is. They don't care how they look in the eyes of the world. Beijing even told them to avoid violence, albeit a mild suggestion, and they ignored that.

There's another aspect - with China closely involved, both up front and in the background, that assures that nothing with the UN (which once again shows just how useful the UN is when it comes to matters of life and death). Without any kind of outside involvement, the media will lose interest.

[monkeycard]

We've started a new century, so the count begins anew.

Good point.

[Verginius Rufus]

The Kennedy administration in 1963 decided that Diem had to go because he had offended the Buddhists. (I forget if he had killed any of them--of course there were the Buddhist monks who protested by burning themselves to death, which his sister-in-law Madame Nhu tastelessly referred to as "monk barbeques.")

That was different--Diem was on the right, the Burmese government is on the left, so it will get a pass.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Chicom will block any attempt to slap serious sanctions by UN. They will handle Burma just as they are handling N. Korea. That is, allow them to survive as its sphere of influence. There is another reason China cannot be hard on Burma. China has to shoot some protesters when some serious uprisings break out on their soil in not-too-distant future. You cannot contradict yourself by renouncing the very method you reserve for “trouble-makers” back home.

[LtKerst]

There, troops abandoned religious beliefs, propped their rifles against statues of Buddha and began cooking meals on stoves set up in shrines.

they are Socialists...Communists...They have no Religion...
Immagine John lennon....No Religion!!! thats what you get
Godless Murder........communism is a poison that destroys Nations.
wheres Richard Gere? wheres His outrage?

[Thumper1960]

Where is the UN?

Where are the demoncrats, constantly spewing their hollow words of peace and freedom? Where are the Freedom Brigades of Lefty youth, just biting at the bit to rush into oppression afflicted regions, bringing their messages of brotherhood and liberty?

Why aren't the Quakers chartering flights to Myanmar to join their pacifist Buddhist brethren?

Where is Jimmy Carter?????

Jesse Jackson????

Al Sharpton????

Nancy Pelosi????

The usual big mouthed, whores of liberalism?????

(crickets)

[TigersEye]

Sadly you are right. The UN will prove it’s usefulness, as in the past, by stalling and blocking any effective action thus protecting the member nations it prefers to serve. China, Russia and other third world thugocracies.