rebooting @reboot.10

2nd day in copenhagen for the annual reboot conference and enjoying all the musings, viewpoints, questions, stories -- it's my annual information-binge before i turn off and hibernate ;-) (awake by monday though ;-p )

reboot 10 is al about that everyday, sometimes controversial, sometimes invisible, often taken for granted stuff called 'free'. ranging from the philosophical and political to the cultural and technological, this year's theme is both bite-size and a buffet table depending on which talks you attend. so far my menu has consisted of large helpings of:

architectural principles applied to urban warfare
urban elements and the creation of play / games
social justice, well-being and freedom
democratic organisations who are transparent, let employees collaborate, vote and directly affect policies -- and they make millions, too
new journalism
some talks about spam on the side

two more hefty meals on the way before i curl up and suffer from indigestion, and later throw up and feel sick with all the information and inspiration! and after the delirium, when i finally reboot in my beloved holland, the after-taste of too much thinking still fresh in my mouth, i will sit quietly and relish the memories of the fiesta of inspiration and interaction that was reboot.

Excerpts from Burmese bloggers

After about 200 deaths and 6,000 political detainess, it might be harder now for the world to see through the tinted windows encasing Burma, but thanks to Burmese bloggers, we have a record of their stories that we can re-tell.

Dawn 109, Rangoon… I just saw with my own eyes that more than 500 monks... They were chanting: "To the uncountable living beings living in uncountable universes to the east, May they be free of danger, May they be free of anger, May they be free of sufferings, and May their hearts be calm and peaceful. May there be peace on earth."

Kto Hike… On 26 September, a Buddhist monk was beaten to death by plain-clothed thugs while he was praying at the Shwe Dagon Pagoda in the centre of Rangoon. The dead body was carried back to the Sadu Monastery in Kyee Myindine. My part-time duty is working on Emergency YGH... at about 2 pm, 5 patients were coming to our Emergency... for gun shot wounds... 1 patient died on spot on arriving at hospital... 4 r still bad in Diagnosis... The patient's attendant said he was not in d line of protest... they were chatting and watching d protest line and sitting on Cafe Bar near Shawe Dagon Pagoda... Government military car was crossing to d protest line and randomly shot all of them...

Sein Khaloke
Buddhist monks are chanting: "All humans be free from killing and torturing, Our compassion and love spread all over country" and "Peace on earth".

Mya, Rangoon
A monk who took part in the protests came to us and told us about his experiences. He said: "We are not afraid, we haven't committed a crime, we just say prayers and take part in the protests. We haven't accepted money from onlookers although they offered us a lot. We just accept water. People clapped, smiled and cheered us." The monk seemed very happy, excited and proud. But I'm worried for them. They care for us and we pray for them not to get harmed.

Thila, Rangoon
Riot police and soldiers are beating monks and protesters at the east gate of Shwedagon Pagoda. They are starting a crackdown by all means. Regardless of this, just after noon, about 1,000 monks from a nearby monastery started a march to Shwedagon Pagoda.

Yi, Rangoon
I saw a truck full of police with guns, which looked like AK47. The military junta has been making us miserable for nearly two decades.

Eyewitness, Rangoon
Riot police started to chase the monks and beat them up. Then about 200 were hauled off onto the trucks and driven away. About 80 monks were taken away.

Source:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3001622.ece

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.