Since the British media has decided to change Myanmar's name back to Burma because they don't like the regime, can we expect some articles about Rhodesia too?

Adriana, Peterborough, UK

Sadly the Zimbbwean human catastrophy and South Africa's involvement (or lack thereof) does not auger well for Burma/Myanmar's neighbours ability or even willingness to act as agents for positive change.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

India cant do much beyond the moral support it has consistently given Burmese Democrats - it took up the human rights issue on its own in the early 90s without western support-
results -base rights and energy rights to China and haven for terrorists in the north east of india. the only country with leverage on myanmar is china. the west also waxed and waned and ultimately didnt really do much.

bunty, new delhi, india

We tried it with South Africa and Iraq and both, in their own ways, have proven to be disastrous. South Africa, because the Mandela effect madke us blind to the immensely un-gifted people that followed him. Iraq, for obvious reasons. This does not make apartheid right nor does it condone Saddam’s regime. But what is unavoidable is the fact that liberal pressure and self-congratulatory penchant for regime change only benefits those that campaign and if wrong in their power broking they then cannot keep on campaigning to remove successive ‘trial’ regimes until one is found that they are comfortable with. It is not enough to want freedom for other people. Their human rights are just as affected if they are in an unsympathetic regime as under a failing government. It is every man’s right to have a revolution; to shed blood; for the more purposeful, most fitting, to assume power; the outcome is not necessarily obvious, nature not nurture. The world is full of empasses through intervention.

Malcolm Turner, Alsager, England

un ,us 4 other countries talking sanctions while monks get killed is typical of the lack of interest in this poor affair. the simplest way to get the junta in burma to a negotiaiting table would be for the un to seize the a/c's of the generals in banks in singapore. singapore is a haven for these corrupt people in burma and crooks from other nations as well (indonesia,malaysia etc)

ken mackinnon, jakarta, indonesia

India's moral authority, that she seems to display in other conflicts around the world, is being rapidly tarnished by the Burmese situation. It seems that India's economic interests far outweigh the lives and human rights of the Burmese people.
It makes me feel ashamed to be Indian.

Dilip, Bradford, UK

Can we really expect China to exert any pressure when they seem perfectly happy to turn a blind eye to the atrocities in Darfur - atrocities committed by the Sudanese militia, who are armed via oil revenue provided by none other than...the Chinese. In this instance, they seem unconcerned that they're supporting a violent regime. They're content just to mine it of the necessary resources and not care what the knock-on effects are. What's to say their attitude towards Burma will be any different?

Lewis, UK,

again not sure whether india holds any weight at all with the Burmese Government, as it has always been in the Chinese sphere of influence.

Regardless, its up to the burmese people to decide how to rule their own country, Bush and cronies have lost all credibility long ago, who really cares what they think in asia.

It is not credible for western governments to encourage overthrow of foreign governments while themselves up to the eyeballs, deep in occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Akram, London,

Wonderful! No mention of French.

Confused, UK,

After doing some re-search, it seems that Burma does have some oil, however, it's probably not economical enough to occupy a country with a fair size military on the basis of helping it's people from their dictators (kinda like Iraq).

The other reason for not intervening could be that Mr Bush doesn't know that Burma has some oil.

stanzler, ny, usa

Unfortunately Burma does not have oil...

stanzler, ny, usa

China should not be held responsible for whatever its neighbor is doing. China doesn't have a particular close relationship with Burma, like other countries in the region, China has a trading relationship with Burma. As for the 2008 Olympics, I don't think it should be linked to politics.

What is happening in Burma is a tragedy, but changes have to come from inside. Burmese people have to stand up to its military government and force it to change. The path to democracy is never going to be smooth.

Cindy, London,

If China indeed holds the key to a peaceful resolution of this issue, then God/Buddha/Allah help us all. Perhaps they could send in some of the tanks left over from Tienneman Square. The US administration will do nothing but shake its collective head and say, "tsk, tsk." But then, my president is hardly in the position to tell another war-monger to knock it off.

karen, rochester, ny, usa

What China can do?! Please do not always mention the bloody Olympics! Since when sports have anything to do with politics?! What the western world is behaving towards the Olympic games in China feels like doing China and Chinese people a big favor! It does leave a bad taste in the mouth! Of course we feel sorry for those poor Burmese people. But any changes have to come from inside. As previous comments, there lacks a magic word "oil". If Burma is full of oil reserves like Saudi Arabia or Iraq, I bet Bush and his army will be the first one jumping right into it instead of just talking and talking right now! Please do not associate China with what is happening in Burma! It has nothing to do with us!

CK, London,

Don't forget China had bad experiences in Korea and Vietnam. They are even less keen than America to return to the region.

Having said that, something must be done in Burma, Darfur etc. The UN should deploy right now.

Ben, York,

As an British Indian, I feel it is a sad day for India, the worlds largest democracy, to stand by and watch without comment the brutal repression of monks and pro democracy demonstrators by the military Junta they have close ties with. They have certainly lost the moral high ground.

eg, kent, uk

do not agree with the idea of "CALL FOR A BOYCOTT OF THE BEIJING OLYMPICS" what are we going to achieve from doing it and can't see any link between what happened in Burma and what is going to happen in Beijing 2008. COMMUNCIATION but NOT BOYCOTT if you are going to make something work!!

Gary, London, UK

I think Bronwen Maddox may be oversimplifying the extent to which these images are getting back to the Burmese people. I have spent time in Burma and one thing I do know is that internet access is heavily restricted and there is a ban on all foreign media. I would be surprised if people in Burma's second most populous city, Mandalay, are receiving an objective view of any of this. In that regard, Rangoon (Yangon) is quite possibly the least likely place in Burma to suffer human rights abuses. In the countryside, well away from the tourist areas, I have seen children as young as 7 or 8 doing forced roadworks and men and women forced (ie as slaves) to work in the government poppy fields (yes, for heroin production). (Why be bothered about economic sanctions from the rest of the world when the drug trade is funding your regime?)
I fear that those outside Rangoon will suffer doubly for this and no amount of comment from privileged journalists kicking back in London will assist.

renton, london,

Obviously, the gas reserves aren't enough to ignite world interest, and they don't contain the magic word "oil". Perhaps a few judicious spelling errors on the intelligence reports being fed to messrs Brown and Bush might persuade them to send something more than a stuffed shirt with a UN badge pinned onto it.

KR, Stockport,

China holds the key. We, normal citizens, need to act and should CALL FOR A BOYCOTT OF THE BEIJING OLYMPICS and also a boycott of all chinese made goods (might be more difficult to do since most cheap goods are made in china). This might pressure China into leaning on the Burmese Junta and asking them to engage in dialogue with the peaceful protestors.

Theia, Lausanne, Switzerland

The junta are interested only in their own well-being, as they perceive it, they have had nothing to gain from moving towards democracy. Even stern words from China are unlikely to change that attitude, and lost resource contracts which could benefit the whole country will not worry the generals so long as they can look after themselves.

The Burmese people are devoted Buddhists, but relatively few have practised as taught by the Buddha. The most positive development in Burma in recent years has been the widespread increase in the practise of Vipassana meditation, the main teaching of the Buddha, and the blossoming of Vipassana centres. This deepening of practise will become a force for peaceful change.

Faustino, Brisbane, Australia

Hi Bronwen,

Myanmar is India's ally in the Global War On Terror. The Junta is our best bet to bring terrorists in the North East of India to heel.

It is better to engage them than to isolate them.

Sound familiar? We learned from your support to Pakistan that it is our interest not the that of the local populace that counts.

Grow up. Sauce for the Goose and all that...

Shankar Ghosh, Wai, Maharashtra, India

It is just appalling that the countries like India, China, US, Bristish, French, Germany, Japan, are not doing much to help the poor monks and Burmese people who desperately need outside help to overthrow this ruthless miliatary governments.This government has killed many before, and they are doing it again and will continue to do so unless the rest of the world gets involved. Where are all the celebrities like Richard Gere, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie etc. when these people need their help? Don't let the poor monks down. Help them in this fight to free from this self elected brutal ruler.

anj, NYC, USA

Ms. Madix - China & Russia can and have stopped any action by the world. Why include India? There are a lot of western governments and journalists standing by India in its principled stand about Tibet and refuge for the Dalai Lama, isn't it? So now you want India to go with your demand.

Lakshmi, Oxford,

India's immediate problems are Pakistan and Bangladesh, sponsors of Islamic terrorism. Also the current federal government is mired in problems due to major coalition partner, communists. These communists unfold their umbrellas when it rains in Moscow or Beijing. In addition, India does not pretend to be a beacon of democracy nor impose it on others unlike the US, Britain and others. As we are all aware, these nations support many tin-pot dictators in many nations such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and some more. So moral lectures carry little weight!

Due to above reasons, the Indian government will be a mere spectator to the events in Burma.

However, China will do exactly opposite of what the US, Britain and other nations want them to do!

"world is watching and tell Burma’s neighbours that it thinks they have a responsibility to persuade it to change."

Let us apply this responsibility uniformly unlike the usual pick and choose!
Regards,

Krishna R. Kumar, Udupi, India