Burmese Monk’s Protest Aided by Personal Video Tech

We often talk about the democratization of video here in the context of getting your video seen as easily as the big media conglomerates do. However there is a literal democratization of video happening right now in Southeast Asia. Where video technology is taking an active role in trying to overthrow the oppressive military dictatorship in Burma.

Having been to Burma (or Myanmar) on more than a few occasions, it’s not just hyperbole when I say “oppressive military dictatorship.” The army has an iron grip on all aspects of life there, where corruption and atrocities run amok. Perhaps it would be different if at least they were at least competent administrators, but essentially a gang of well armed thugs runs the place. There really is nothing good you can say about the current regime in Rangoon (Yangon). Certainly the people of Burma will say nothing good about them, and what they do say is under their breath. But now they’re starting to say it out loud, in a large part because the world can now actually hear them.

The last mass protest in Burma happened in 1988, and went largely unnoticed by the world at large. Some 3,000 monks and demonstrators were gunned down mercilessly on the streets of Rangoon. But this was before cell-phones, and video cameras, and more importantly, the internet.

There is an interesting article here by AFP explaining how this time, due to technology, perhaps the outcome of this protest will be different.