VPR News: A Burmese student speaks out in favor of democracy

A Burmese student speaks out in favor of democracy

Wednesday, 10/10/07

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(Host) It seems that for now, the military government of Myanmar -- or Burma as the nation used to be called before the junta takeover -- is successfully quelling a Democracy movement led by Buddhist monks in Rangoon.

The government has shut down phone lines and the Internet and street protests have dwindled since soldiers attacked monks who spearheaded the country's largest protest movement since 1988. That's when an estimated3,000 people were killed by the military.

At Middlebury College, Htar Htar Yu is trying to find out what's happening
in Burma, because that's where she's from. It's the place where her
parents, living in the remote jungle regions of the nation, joined a
Democracy group opposed to the military, and where they sought refuge with
a similar faction when the junta came for them.

In 1996, that faction signed a truce with the military and Htar Htar Yu's
family no longer had protection. That set in motion the events that would
bring Htar Htar Yu to Vermont, as her family was forced to flee to
Thailand:

AP Photo

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