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| Communication is Critical in Burmese Democracy Struggle | | Cetak | |
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Democracy Newsletter October 2007 The recent democratic protests in Burma, now widely known as the Saffron Revolution, have drawn global attention to the courage of its people and, in evoking the previous upsurge of 1988, have highlighted the endurance and resilience of their democratic aspirations. The movement has also reaffirmed the importance that both international support and attention provide for democratic activists working within Burma and in exile. To this end, NED's Burma grants program has continued to fund independent media, human rights education and documentation, international advocacy, political organizing, and programs addressing the country's ethnic nationalities. A crucial difference with the 1988 prodemocracy protests is the sheer amount of information and imagery emerging from the Saffron Revolution. Most of this is generated by citizen journalists rather than mainstream media, as NED's Brian Joseph told the UK's Channel 4 News (scroll down and click on Interview: Brian Joseph). NED grantees, such as the Oslo-based Democratic Voice of Burma, New Delhi-based Mizzima News Agency, and Chiang Mai-based Irrawaddy, have been instrumental in securing this information, broadcasting it internationally, supplying mainstream media outlets, and most importantly feeding the information back into the country through the internet, satellite TV and short-wave radio stations. "There's only one percent Internet penetration in Burma," says Joseph. "But if you look at the absolute number, something like 300,000 people actually have access to the Internet." He credits the '88 generation of young activists who, after their release in 2004, began to rebuild the movement into a very sophisticated and well-organized opposition which the Buddhist monks have helped anchor in the wider society. While the military blocks many websites, activists can use proxy servers to reach a very broad sector of the educated, urban population. NED grantees are also crucial monitors of the human rights situation throughout Burma, including documenting human right abuses and providing assistance to political prisoners, as well as spearheading advocacy campaigns to raise international awareness about the issues that plague Burma. They have also taken the initiative to train Burmese activists in effective techniques of nonviolent political action, and the production and distribution of literature on democracy, human rights, and political organizing. In addition to efforts to document and report on the current situation inside Burma, Burmese democrats also anticipate that future challenges of transition and democratic consolidation will be immense. NED's Burma grants program currently funds initiatives to draft a federal constitution and state constitutions within a federal framework, and supports efforts to promote ethnic nationality participation in resolving the country's political problems. It also backs efforts to promote political reform and national reconciliation through various coalitions that aim to enhance contact, trust, and cooperation between ethnic and prodemocracy forces. Given the depth of the crisis they shall inherit from military misrule, Burma's democrats know they need to hit the ground running and offer solutions to the country's long-suffering people. NED will continue to support their aspirations for a free and democratic Burma. Sumber: http://www.ned.org/publications/newsletters/1007-burma.html |
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