Stop the Myanmar RegimeBurma is the largest country in Southeast Asia and maintains one of the largest standing and most hardended armies with 400,000 strong. Even more frightening - they enjoy the full support of the Chinese government.While I was traveling in northern Thailand in 2006, I spoke with one of the thousands of refugees that have fled the crazed military regime. He pointed to his legless friend (working still the same) and told of how the man had stepped on a landmine while plowing his own farm. When he approached the government for help, they charged him with "destroying government property" (the mine!) Since he could not pay the fine, they took his farm along with his leg and he fled the country. In 2007 while I was in China, violence broke out against peaceful protesters, mainly Buddhist monks. Internet access to the country was cut so that travelers could not send photos or blog about the events. Some photos of beaten and bleeding monks did make it out. The regime is also notorious for taking young girls as sex slaves to the military and nearly every human rights organization in the world speaks out against their forced child labor and crimes against peaceful people. AVAAZ has led the effort in petitioning against the current government in Burma. Since 2007, more and more world leaders are pressuring them to stop the violence and AVAAZ is doing a good job of keeping the issue in the spotlight. You can help support AVAAZ simply by clicking through our links to your favorite travel sites to book tickets. |
Pictures provided by AVAAZ.org Learn about Myanmar
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