Internet keeps Burma real for the rest of us

When the military opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in 1988 - killing thousands of monks and students - the world only got to learn about it via their TV screens a few weeks later. But now all eyes are on Burma. The world is watching intently as news, images and stories about its oppressive regime and democracy-famished people are delivered to our monitors and phones.

The Democratic Voice of Burma runs TV, radio and internet broadcasts round the clock to keep the world abreast of the latest democratic uprisings. It is run by 12 exiled Burmese in Norway. They get their information from 20 citizen journalists who use the Internet and cell phones to funnel news out of Burma. Using proxy computer servers, encryption programs and YouTube, these citizen journalists try to outfox the military regime which controls the country’s communications. They are in hiding as they transmit one video frame at a time over the web or conceal information within seemingly harmless e-mails.



It goes without saying that the repressive conditions in Burma elevate blogging to a subversive and deadly activity – this is a country where you can be imprisoned for merely putting up pro-democracy posters, let alone broadcasting images to the world of what’s really happening in Burma. The Democratic Voice of Burma already reported that the military is now cutting off mobile phone connections as this is an essential channel for bloggers to report from the ground. Interactive media is really a politically charged terrain.

It is political as much as it is a creative, commercial and technological endeavor. Its radical and subversive potential has found its way in many political campaigns, used by government, politicians and civil society alike. In the 2004 Philippine elections for example, mobile phones and ringtones played a major role in fanning the flames of protest. An electoral scandal and crisis began when “…audio recordings of a phone call conversation between President Arroyo and then Election Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano allegedly talking about the rigging of the 2004 national election results “ was made public. Suddenly, ‘Hello, Garci' ringtones (Garci is the nickname of Garcilliano) spread like wildfire on the web and thousands of people downloading it to their phone. It was a spontaneous reaction, created by individuals who thought the whole affair was either comical or outrageous if not surreal.

It was nine years ago when I had the chance to take part in the making of the book 'Burma for Beginners' with some friends of mine. It was a project for the Initiatives for International Dialogue, Philippines. That was how my eyes were opened to the history of Burma. Their stories resonated loudly in the Filipinos own struggles. I hope the civilian journalists of Burma remain safe and able to continue keeping the rest of the world in touch with the struggles of the Burmese people.

LOLCAT awardee: Buddhist monks and nuns of Burma

Barefoot they marched, leading 100,000 protestors, praying and chanting for peace. After more than five hours of marching over at least 12 miles, about 1,000 maroon-robed Buddhist monks and 400 sympathizers walked up to an intersection where police blocked access to the street where democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under house arrest. They prayed and chanted, “May there be peace,” and then dispersed.

Tears welled up in my eyes and the hair stood on the back of my neck. I felt proud, I felt defiant. Fear gripped my heart, aware of the warnings by the military regime and the measure they're willing to take to crush those who oppose them.

More than anything, my heart goes out to Aung San Suu Kyi and to the Burmese people -- my own people's kindred in suffering, hope and the quest for freedom.

Those 40-plussers

Was reading about Wikipedia founder, Jimmy Wales, and the upcoming beta version of Wikia Search, which aims to develop a search engine, crawlers and other indexing tools through a collaborative, open-source process.

Cool, I thought. And Jimmy is just 41. Wow, I wonder how those famous 40-plussers feel.

And then it hit me: I'm turning 35, I'm in the league with 'those' 40-plussers. I'm not famous though, and I'm not a lot of things which 40-plussers are (or most of them). Got a husband - ;-) - but no kids. Don't know if that's what I want for me. Don't have a senior position at work - never really focused on the corporate world so now I get paid like someone in their 20s even if my experience is vastly greater. I don't look 40 - great ;-p - but I am starting to feel 'older' sometimes with gray hair and wrinkles announcing themselves in the bright glare of the mirror lights early in the morning. But honestly, I keep thinking of myself as 19 (sometimes 23) that I forget that in a few years, I'll be too old to bear a child (ok, I meant naturally) if it turned out that I want one. That my counterparts are all holding major positions in the company while I'm still testing if I enjoy this or that. I forget that I've reached that age where I've categorised aunts and uncles and politicans.

I'll be one of those 40-plussers very shortly. Deep. ;-p

Can't see very clearly how that will be, but one thing's for sure -- I'll still be a Pucca-loving, Picachu-sneezing, wanna be-cook, suffering poet, game junkie and dream-dweller at 40. And my garden will still be the messiest one in our typical Dutch neighbourhood.

Now more than ever, I must find Middle Earth!

Onwards to infinity and beyond! ;-)

Printer problems

Hmm, so this is why the printer at the office was acting weird yesterday ;-p