Burmese use net as tool against military

The people of Burma are using citizen journalism to document killings in clashes with the military – which has claimed nine people so far.

Civilians have uploaded pictures and videos of the violence on to websites such as you tube and other sites.

One site called Burma Digest today put up a photo called “soldier shooting into crowds killing many” which showed blood-stained streets and bodies lying on roads amidst the unrest.

A message from someone in Rangoon, displayed on the BBC website, claimed that the military are hiding bodies to cover up the brutality.
Wai commented: “There are many deaths on the streets of Rangoon. There were many deaths by gun-shots but the military is taking away the bodies so that they can hide their inhumane violence on civilians. Now even spectators on the streets, who are not involved in the protests are being shot at.”

Latest reports are that a Japanese video journalist, who worked for Japanese news agency APF, is among the dead.

Burma’s military government are notoriously strict in their censoring of the internet and research by Harvard University found that the authorities stopped people accessing 84% of web-pages they tested.

It is thought that Burmese people are using underground internet cafes to upload images of the offences that they claim are being committed by the military.

A similar protest for democracy was carried out on August 8, 1988 when thousands were killed. However this is the first strike for a revolution where Burmese people have used the internet to show the world what is happening in the country.