Peru: Battle Lines Drawn over the Amazon

Common Dreams

Clearly, the battle lines were being drawn. Garcia demonstrated he is not about to allow anything to get in the way of "our development" of the oil and mineral resources the Amazon has to offer. Especially by a bunch of confused savages (his words) who are pawns to the international market and to Indian elites and therefore have no real reason to be resisting. At this point, it was obvious he thought nothing of the Indigenous cause, and what they actually stood for. There is too much money to be extracted from oil, from minerals, from logging, and from possible agriculture in the Amazon region, the 2nd largest stretch outside of Brazil. All on land with less than 200,000 Indigenous people. All now supposed to be open for business, as a result of a series of laws passed under the auspices of Free Trade Agreements signed with both Canada and the United States.

Flash from Myanmar

Mizzima

The Karen National Union, an ethnic armed rebel group, said it has killed at least four Burmese soldiers when it attacked a Burmese Army convoy, retreating from the frontline, early yesterday morning.

Intervention for democracy

What can be done to help free the burmese people? Well, I think we'd all love to see the world's 'forces of democracy' using their power to free the people of Burma. However, we, and more importantly the Burmese people, would have to be sure, that democracy is the only reason for going in, and that once the burmese generals have been ousted foreign troops will leave. Of course, any rational mind will know that is not going to happen. First of all, foreign troops will only invade if their financial interests are threatened. It seems the burmese generals are in the best interest of China and the West, if only they'd be a little less barbaric-it's so embarassing! Secondly, if foreign troops did go in (to protect their interests), they'd be unlikely to leave the country very quickly. In fact they'd be unlikely to hand over power to an idealist like Aung San Suu Kyi! So, what is left? Smuggle arms and exiled burmese into the country? Sure, that'll please the Chinese! I think the first thing to do, is what our governments have so far consistently failed to do: break off cooperation with the generals, withdraw all investment (like with that oh-so-evil cuban dictator...) and put pressure on countries which are arming the generals. Real pressure. Sure, that's gonna happen! Or maybe the burmese are just gonna have to accept, that they are not worthy of democracy. It's the luck of the draw: you live in a country without enough natural resources to elicit the interest of the world cops, and under the rule of terrorising but cooperative generals. tough luck!