Are worldwide protests going to do any good for Burma?

I often wondered as I watched many different groups protest for different causes if it really does any good. You may have seen or heard about some of the protests around Greater Vancouver: the human rights groups, the protests against war, the rallies for anti-poverty, the list goes on.

Then I spoke to a learned colleague at the office and he told me this: it only takes one person to change the world. When you all stand in a group, signs held high, shouting slogans and even perhaps standing up to speak in public, and only a handful of people watching you (quite disheartening) that handful of people might be moved enough to do something, and the rest is a chain reaction. It didn't convince me right away but it made me think.

What convinced me is reading Marcus Gee's article in the Globe and Mail, dated Friday, Oct 5, 2007, page A17. The title was, "It may not look that way, but the Saffron Revolution is just beginning". Marcus said, "The plain fact is that non-violence protest doesn't always work." But then, he also goes on to say, " Don't lose hope yet. Recent history shows that, from South Africa to Ukraine, non-violent action has a remarkable track record against even the beastliest regimes. " "...New York-based Freedom House studied 67 transitions to democracy over a third of a century and found that 50 sprang from non-violent resistance - boycotts, strikes, civil disobedience and mass protests." If you get a chance, I urge you to read Marcus Gee's article.

Still you might ask, what does that have to do with protests taking place outside of Burma? The answer is that if every citizen of Burma presently residing in a foreign country, regardless of race or religion, joined in the movement, it could make the world leaders, shareholders, businesses and the general population at large get interested enough not only to empathize with the plight of the citizens of Burma, but also do all that it can to support Burma's struggle for democracy and basic human rights. Sanctions are in place, and the UN is taking action. But it is not enough. We need to keep the momentum going, and we need to be united.

I hope that you too will be moved, just enough, to support Burma's struggle for democracy and human rights. Let us join hands and make history!

Peace & Love,
Maria