The protests in Burma are not going to have a direct effect on the Burmese military government. It would be naive of the demonstrators to believe that the government will be even remotely inclined to respond to the people's requests. This is, after all, the same government that killed thousands of Burmese students and monks during the 1988 protests. This is the same government that refused to step down from their leadership in 1990, ignoring election results in which democratic candidate Aung San Suu Kyi won 392 out of the 489 seats. This is the same government that put Suu Kyi under house arrest in 1990, where she remains today. To think that a peaceful demonstration by itself could end 46 years of corrupt military rule would be unrealistic.
This time, the protests are important for a different reason. They are instrumental in presenting the world with an incentive to help the Burmese. The monks' protests are not pleas to the junta; they are pleas to the rest of the world. While it is the monks who began this fight, it is the free, outside nations and citizens that need to finish it.
The killings that have occurred over the last couple months reinforce the fact that Burma needs help, and that Burma needs change. It says to the world, "This is what our government is capable of. This is the world that we live in and it is worth your attention."
The only real weapon that the Burmese citizens have against the heavily armed junta is the power of their voice. As uprisings in 1988 taught them, their voice alone would not be enough to create change. In the end, those protests had little effect and the military government remained in power. So why do they even bother risking their lives for a confrontation they are sure to lose?
Driven by sheer desperation, the monks had little choice. This was a sacrifice they had to make in order to get Burma the one thing that could save it, the one thing it needs: worldwide support.
Unlike the situation today, the 1988 protests failed to accumulate such broad worldwide support. The Burmese had created a path towards democracy. They needed support from the outside world, but we failed to respond. The experience of 1988 taught the Burmese that even mass killings do not promise the attention of world citizens and leaders. The Burmese can only hope that this time, things will be different.
Until last week, when the government shut down all communication lines, the protesters had an extra factor that helped them gain global support: the prominent coverage of the situation by the media. Media reports and instantaneous images of the brutality sent an SOS to citizens across the globe. It is not just the violence that drives change, but visual proof of the bloody crackdown that is being recorded and replayed by foreign media.
With widespread awareness, outside countries have begun to form an alliance with the Burmese citizens in their fight for democracy. Although sanctions have been placed on Burma in the past, they have not been enough to generate change. Currently, nations are pushing for more punitive actions, even suggesting personal sanctions on the junta and their families. Campaigns circulate the Internet looking for signatures and support from global citizens. The world has finally heard Burma's cries.
The Burmese reside in a world of oppression, helpless against leaders who control their lives. It took us 46 years to take notice, and we have only taken the first step in acknowledging the Burmese plight. To be aware of the situation is not enough. Stopping at a car crash to see what happened does not mean you have helped the victim. We must turn our condolences into actions, helping the Burmese people realize the Burma they have demanded. Right now, the best strategy is to continue to place sanctions and pressure on the junta. We must also use our voice to pressure more influential countries such as China and India to encourage the junta to end their crackdown. But above all, we must continue to give our support and not let Burma fade back into oblivion. We must let world leaders know that if they are going to walk away from this fight, we will be here, watching.
It took the citizens of Burma almost two decades to muster the strength to restart their fight for a free Burma. I only hope that we do not repeat the mistake of letting their sacrifice go to waste.
