I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday, since the internet connection was so slow and I was paranoid enough not to keep trying with all of the stuff happening.
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Yesterday morning, I came to work as usual. There was nothing particular to see on the way to work, except that on Bahan St., 10 or 20 soldiers were stationed in Kandawgyi Park, at the area across the road leading to the Eastern Gate of Shwedagon Pagoda.
I got to work. I checked the news, and chatted with some friends. Then at 9:30, I had to go out on an office errand with the office car. So we drove to Myaynigone. On the way, the driver decided to take a look around, so we drove around Shwedagon Pagoda, but the road near Kyay Thun Buddha Image (Bronze Buddha Image), that led to Shwe Dagon Pagoda was barricaded. So we turned around, and drove to Shwegondine. The gates of the monasteries were closed, and inside some of these gates were 3 or 4 soldiers. We drove around Sule Pagoda, and in the Maha Bandoola Park across City Hall, soldiers (or police?) were standing guard with shields.
I got back to office around 11:00am. I was reading some documents for work when I heard noises outside the room. So I went to look, and the other people from other offices were looking out at the window. I looked too, and saw groups of people walking towards Sule Pagoda. So I went back in to office. After awhile, someone came into our office and told us that people are running, so we went to the window and looked again. We saw groups of people running back towards Sule Railroad Pass Bridge on Su Le Pagoda Road. But after awhile, they stopped running, and walked back towards there. I heard that it was because the police used tear gas. It went on like this for some hours.
Around 1:20 or 1:30pm, I heard someone saying that the police/army started shooting in the air. Someone from abroad messaged me on GTalk, and says he's hearing reports of shooting. So I asked around to be sure, and went to look out. I saw the people still standing on groups, and the buses were still running. I heard that they were shooting in the air, so I told him back that. I messaged to someone who's at work near Sule Pagoda Road, and he confirmed that they were shooting in the air. Also, reports of monks being hit by batons on Shwedagon Pagoda were already spreading on the net.
At 2:00pm, I heard that buses have stopped running on Sule Pagoda Road.
Someone from the office went out to there, and came running back when there were shots being fired. He said they were being shot up into the air, and into the crowd too. That was around 2:50pm. He didn't see anyone being hit, though a girl told him that her friend was hit. I heard the gun shots too, but it sounded alot like clapping. So I went out to look. People were running back, and some were just staying in the place, and some were walking back towards Sule Pagoda. I was reading the news on a blogger's Cbox, and it said that at least 5 monks were dead at Shwedagon Pagoda.
My sis had already called home and told my brother not to go to work. I called home too, and also to my father. He told me to stay at work and not to go out.
At 3:03 pm, I saw a large group of people coming up from Bo Gyoke Road, from Pan Soe Dan side, and joining the group near Sule Pagoda.
At 3:10 pm, my boss told us all to go home. He said he'll give some of us a lift, so I went home with him. When we got to U Htaung Bo Circle, the road to Shwegondine was blocked, so we went around, took a shortcut and emerged out from the road near Lumbini Restaurant (formerly an ILBC school). I was taken to home first.
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I was watching the news when it came on at 8:00pm. The first news that came was to report if anyone was forced to donate money and food to the protesters. Then, what came next was other unimportant news like planting jatroba curcus, and visiting factories and stuff. On at the end of the news, it was announced that during the clash on Sule Pagoda Road, 1 unidentified person was killed and 3 were injured because of the shooting, and that some police officers were injured.
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This morning, I wasn't sure if the office was opened or not. My father said if the buses are running, I have to go to office. The buses were running, so I took the bus as usual. Bahan Road was still blocked, so the bus had to take the same shortcut, and drove around Kandawgyi Park. The ticket collector whined that (CNG) gas is going to run out more if they kept having to drive like this. When I got off at Sule bus stop, the ticket collector said they will stop running and go back to ask the owner if they should continue to run.
At work, many offices in the building were closed and will be open on Friday. Later, the MD told us that we can go home if we want. We decided to stay here since we're already here.
Only today that I can see the actual footages of what happened yesterday. There are photos on a fellow
blogger. In forum, someone sent me a private message that my blog was quoted in an
online news site. Today, I was able to access the internet more quickly, so here I am blogging about it.
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My friend said I was brave blogging about this when I am confused about where I stand. I was not being brave. I am a coward hiding in the office. At first, I started removing my photo in my profile, and was going to hide the posts that provide personal details of me. Then I decided not to because I am not doing anything wrong.
In the midst of all these chaos, I am very afraid. I am afraid for myself, I am afraid for my family, and I am afraid for the country.
Comments (270)
Hi from Malaysia.
I like your new profile photo.
I am showing your blog to hundreds of Burmese refugees here in Kuala Lumpur. They are anxious and they welcome any and all news. They ask you to continue blogging (but not at the expense of your safety).
Regards
HS Wong
Kuala Lumpur
Words can only mean so much, but I pray for you to be brave and have faith that you and your countrymen can pull through. You have the moral support of millions of people worldwide!
Regards
YC
Singapore
Hi,
You ARE very brave blogging about what's going on in Rangoon but please make sure of your safety first. I really think you should remove some of your personal details from your old blogs. I wish I were there but I dont know what I'd do if I were there. I prayed for our country's and people's fate every day and night. I cried when I saw the photos/videos of the monks and people being beaten and shot. My heart is breaking watching the news and I hoped and prayed that anybody would die anymore but it seems like they will and it hurts me so much.
By the way, your English is really good.
Thawdar
I am in England and discovered your blog via an online news source. I am very moved by what you have been writing and found myself logging on this morning to make sure you're OK after news of the violence. I just wanted you to know that you are in my thoughts. Keep blogging. I shall keep reading.
Sue
Just wanted to let you know that your blog is on at least two major news websites in the UK and being read by lots of people. You're very brave doing this and, if you can, please continue - a lot of the information that's coming out of Myanmar is coming via blogs like yours. Please know that the rest of the world is watching what's happening, many world leaders are trying to intervene and many, many ordinary people are very frustrated that more - much more - is not being done to help all the people in Myanmar. We desperately hope that there will be some international intervention soon. And I hope that the protests continue - people mustn't give up - to stop protesting will be to let the regime win.
I am writing to you from South Africa - I think you are amazing for what you are doing. Am trying to disseminate as much info as possible about the situation as I can get and will do utmost to ensure some protest is heard from all the way down here to any representative of your country in ours.
Although it is not much comfort, just know that we do care and are doing our best to spread the word.
Cape Town, South Africa
Hi from South Africa
I htink what you are doing is amazing and will do my part to help. I will try and send out as much info as I can and will aslo ensure that we protest at any representative of your country here in South Africa.
CapeTown, South Africa
You are brave! and doing the best thing you can. You are letting the rest of the world know about the awful way your people are being treated. I hope the protesters are strong and will continue to be able to resist.
Stay safe.
As everyone have said, you are very brave to put all these information on your blog, even though you know this may harm you. You should feel proud that, you are doing something that you are good at to support the freedom of our country. We are all made of flesh and blood, it's ok to be afraid. Your blog was used to describe the atmosphere of Yangon on SKY 24hours new in UK. You are helping in more ways than you know. So, be proud, be brave, be safe and keep up the great work. We will all be praying for you, your family and our people.
Love,
May Thet Aung
Fair play for writing this blog and letting the world know what is going on. The worlds thought are with the Burmese people at this time. Do not give up hope. Peace will prevail and the truth will be set free. We all pray for the safety of all of you over there. The whole word is watching and they cannot kill your spirits.
Love and peace
from Ireland
Let people know that this is not going unwitnessed and unknown. Our thoughts and love are with you all.
Vive la revolution!
Best wishes, love and peace from England.
Dawn, greetings from an English guy in Dubai. Keep blogging if you can but please stay safe.
Hi Dawn,
Please be very careful. Many other people have said this and I will say it too: you are very brave to blog with everything that is happening - but make sure that you are not putting yourself in danger. I am in Australia. The news over here is full of what is happening in Burma - and your blog along with a few others have appeared in major Australian news sources. We are very worried about what is happening. Please stay safe.
I wish you peace and love.
Namaste.
Well done, great blog. Take care and good luck!
Hello from England
Have been reading your blog for last few days, you are very brave. Did you know today your writing was published in the 'Independent' Newspaper here. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3001622.ece see online version at this link. Be Safe.
From
Gary
UK
Hi
just wanted to wish you well. I cannot imagine what you must be going through. Keep safe.
Tony
Dorchester
England
Trust me, you ARE brave- just writing and letting the world know what is happening is an act of bravery in itself. Your blog is being quoted on news sites all over the world- I live quite on the other side of the world, in the island of Barbados, in the Caribbean. I got the link to your blog from the Guardian site.
Please, try to stay safe and keep up the blogging. People all over the world are watching your country and praying that justice and freedom will finally prevail.
Amanda
Barbados
Hi,
I've been following your blog for 3 days now. Yesterday I was so worried about you. You are a very courageous woman. I don't know much about Burma but in recent news I've been greatly alarmed. I found you through an online international news link. Since your country has shut down communications via cell and media we've had to rely on bloggers like yourself as well as people with satellite cell phones and video and risked their lives to get truth out. I just want you to be extremely careful. I check you blog several times throughout the night and day because I'm concerned about your safety specifically. You're a strong woman. I thought you may want to know how I found out about you. I know you'll be working for CNN one day.Jennifer
Providence, Rhode Island US
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/09/burma_protests_wednesday.html
Way to go Dawn! Its really cool to know people from Europe and America cares. We too here in Thailand, don't forget...we all care for you and your people.
I know that a lot of people come to your blog for some news...but if you are endangering your life, it's ok not to blog about the protest. We don't want to put more pressure on you. Ok?
Hello from France where newspapers and medias speak about the Burmese crisis, and your blog => http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3216,36-960366@51-947750,0.html
Take care of you and good luck for Burmese people again dictatorship !
Hello from London,
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, you're so very brave for doing this and I am praying that you stay safe. Protests are planned at Burmese embassies worldwide this weekend and alot of information is now getting out about what's happening - the world's with you. Here's what I found this afternoon - I hope it's genuine:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/burma/story/0,,2178428,00.html
Love and strength,
Victoria, London
Just wanted to say that we are watching and you are not alone. I think there are so many of us all over the world who are desperate to be able to do something, and feeling helpless that we can do nothing.
But the one thing we can do is to make sure you are heard. I think what you are doing is incredibly brave, and I am very afraid for you.
However, there is no danger for those of us outside Burma in adding our voices to the movement in support of the ordinary people, and calling upon our governments to become involved. http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/tf.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
Signing a petition may not seem much but the number of signatures to this one have increased by many thousands in the last day or so. For anyone reading in the UK, you can also sign here http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Burmacrackdown/.
You, and all the Burmese people, are in my thoughts. Please take care.
Sarah, London
Hi,
Some of us are old enough to remember the fall of the Berlin wall, the images i'm seeing on the TV remind me of that, this military government will crumble eventually,
Keep safe,
Ian (also sent PM other day)
England
I wish you the best.
Line - Norway