Burma VJ

I have always wanted to visit Burma and am so upset with what I read and hear on the news. I wanted to learn more about the terrible situation.

The Royal Cinema has become my favorite Sunday afternoon spot. It seems as if every film shown here is superior in some way. It is the finest art theatre in Toronto I was also interested in the pamphlets and information on this topic available in the lobby.

What a remarkable documentary. I was so upset when I left and want to do something. We all know that the citizens of Burma (Myanmar) are suffering from the military regime. Anyone living there can be forced into unpaid labor or locked up for years for any small reason. Many are tortured. You cannot complain or you may find yourself imprisoned or tortured.

This documentary was made possible by courageous journalists who hid cameras and took photos of the action within the country. The pictures were smuggled out of the country so that the world would be informed of the terrible times. As a result we are able to watch first hand the struggle of the citizens to up rise against the brutal tyranny of the military.

It was amazing to see the swell of people led by the monks who risked their lives marching in the streets. There were so many marching that you would think that they might be successful. No matter how many tried to speak out the military always arrived armed with rifles and tear gas.

Many were brutally beaten. More were taken to jail. The monks were so courageous and so many lost their lives.

The leader of the opposition actually won the most votes in the last election but has been under house arrest for years. The demonstrators tried to march to her house but were beaten back.

We actually witness the death of a foreign reporter who was shot in the street. It was all very heartbreaking but most informative.

I picked up a postcard addressed to the Prime minister urging our country to offer humanitarian aid. We are also asked to contact Amnesty International at www.amnesty.org

We have so much in this country and are mostly unaware that people live in unbearable conditions in other countries.