Very simply, China is the regional power and supports the military. Let us put pressure on China by popular threat to boycott the olympics.
Joseph Bucharest

Joseph, Bucharest,

China is getting uneasy, don't kid yourselves. Start saying it loud, say it a lot: Boycott the Olympics. If you have Chinese stock, dump it and then email them (good luck with that they keep sending all mine back)

I have been sending daily emails to senators, to any newspaper with an article, to the UN demanding the immediate action to protect the people of Burma, and to bring the Junta up on human rights charges.

Governments are responding but only because the media and people are embarrassing them. So don't stop, keep embarrassing the pants off the politicians we elect into power until they move.

MichelleH, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

China and India have to be brought on board. Hopefully they will not deny their moral obligation to the people of Burma. The military government is being completely exploitative and is no different in effect from an invading military force in its suppression of the population, so to say this is just an 'internal affair' is to deny the rights of the civilian population of Burma. Governments should reclaim all Burmese military Junta assests.

What YOU can do:
1. don't buy oil from TOTAL (French company who get Burmese oil)
2. If China and India do not force Burmese government to allow president to be reinstated, or if they veto UN resolutions which could assist the burmese population BOYCOTT indian and chinese goods.
3. KEEP THIS ISSUE ALIVE. Keep talking about it.

Ian Dodkins, Coleraine, N. Ireland

there are so many things that burma's neighbours can do but the problem is they are hunger for the resources in burma... the military regime is selling the resources in the name of people...they were owned by the ppl...not the junta...Buying those resources from junta without agreement from the ppl is just a kind of stealing...

It's enough to give "lip-service". It's time for real action.

Moe, San Francisco, United States

CREATIVE COMBAT; TARGET JUNTA FRIENDLY COMPANIES;
The Burmese Junta can be defiant because friendly "rogue" companies continue to support them. Their answer is "OR ELSE WHAT??" meaning for as long as Chevron, Total of Thailand, French, Indian, Singapore companies continue to support them...it is business as usual folks. When the media coverage dies down..so will the outrage. That is what the junta is banking on and taking to the bank apparently. "UNLESS"...GLOBAL CIVIL SOCIETY...focuses its attention on action that can really hurt them. 1. Picket not the Burmese embassy in India, France, Singapore , and Thailand but the companies that do business with them. 2. Reporters without Borders or instant I citizen Reporters can follow CEOs and billionaires of these companies around paparazzi style to ask them about their support for the junta. I guarantee that getting their faces plastered all over the world as "rogue businessmen supporters of monk killing junta" will not go well in their golf games, country clubs, their daughters' debutant balls and pretensions or aspirations at high society... 3. Organize "stock sell off" demonstrations in front of the "stock exchange" buildings of junta friendly countries and ask investors to threaten "mass sell off" of stocks unless junta loving companies apply pressure on the junta to stop the killing and restore democracy...that's just for starters...I'm sure others can think of other "creative combat" strategies to answer their brazen response to world outrage of "or else what?"...that's what..

Maria Gracia Yllana, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

The whole world is watching the horrors being committed in Burma, but nothing is being done. As the Burmese people are crying out for help and intervention, from anyone, and hundreds of Buddhist monks are being beaten and probably killed, the governments of our world just stand by wringing their hands. Than Shwe must be stopped, period.
France, China, India, and the countries of ASEAN -- the ones that can truly deliver an impact -- must find a significant way to hold Burma's junta accountable and stop the violence NOW.
How can human "civilization" still tolerate such primal behavior in Burma or anyplace else in this world?
How is it that we, the peoples of the world, most of whom I truly believe want peace, cannot seem to muster the strength and organizational skills to create a better existence for ALL?
What's happening in Burma is appalling, repugnant and needs to be stopped ASAP. Unfortunately, it is only the most recent egregious example of our inhumanity to each other.

Debi, Bigfork, USA/Montana

Well France can demand that Total pulls out of Burma, Singapore can refuse to give medical treatment to Than Shwe and his cronies and also refuse schooling to the children of the junta and the other hangers on who attend school there and fly home on the weekends. Airports can refuse landing rights to Air Bagan run by a person who is described as Than Shwe's dog, who is also an arms dealer. The list is long....
I worked in Burma last year and when flying up country via Naypidaw it was always of interest to see which dignitiaries were on the same flight - high ranking Indian Military were common as well as various other Business UN/NGO people. All trekking up to Naypidaw to do business with these mass murderers. So what to do? Just hope that the military divides and the hardliners fall and the decent people there prevail. Unless China, Russia and India weigh in it will be extemely difficult to effect any real change. Also in the time I took to write this how many more people have died?

Katharine, Thailand,

And if the majority of those who take to the streets, reaching out for freedom and justice were women - as in Argentina ? Or children - as in Palestine ?
Would the army still beat them and aim to kill ?
Would the defenders of "democracy" still stand by and stare ?

Jeffrey Moore, Toulouse, France

There must be significant actions must be taking in the event. They are killing, beating and arresting innocent people who trying to express their feelings and economy crisis they are facing. These acts doesn't count as crime? Common class people earn less than $50 per months while they are earing more than millions dollars. Burmese, in Burma can't even consider as normal human beings. Why should they be allowed to conduct unhuman activities? People still surffer not enough yet? It has been more than a few decades. Their actions still cannot be counted as crime then there should be another meaning of justic in dictionar. Why U.N and international community cannot purnish them. We, Burmese, people do not have any power, arms to fight for them. If outsiders does not help them purnish, who will? Is there any differences between Burma and Iraq in terms of situation? We welcome outside to come in and help. ASEAN countries must purnish them.

colin, Singapore, Singapore

Given China's record on Tibet, Burma would be wise not to count on the Chinese to influence the junta on their behalf. The press are the only allies the monks have, so please don't give up on the people of Burma, especially now when their backs are against the wall. Keep writing cos it's not a mere battle, it's a war.

Costanzia, La la land,

what is India doing ? revelling in its cricket hero's bringing in the T20 cricket world cup ? India wants a seat in the UN Security council - just ask about the cross border security between it and the smaller countries resting on it's shoulders like bhutan, nepal, bangladesh, burma.... it is a sad story. for its size and so called military and economical might, India should and must play a sheet-anchor role to its neighbor countries. when big regional players like India and China are coy with burma, this will naturally call in for aggressive moves from the US and its allies. Instead of this - India should take a more pragmatic approach towards its neighbors for its own security in the future.

karuppan, mapusa, goa, India

I think whats going on in Burma is way out of order .
The army may have won a battle, but they have lost the war.
That kind of carry on goes back mid ages ,when will the army
get some cop on.
Lets see how good the big boys are without the army.
give the people back their country for god sake.
Take a good look at IRELAND`S history and learn.
THINK OF CAMBODIA AND WHAT HAPPEND THERE.
GOD BLESS THE PEOPLE OF BURMA .

GORDON MYLES , london, england