Burma VJ

My visit to Meta House tonight was to watch a documentary, Burma VJ, by Anders Østergaard that told the inside story of the peaceful uprising in August and September 2007 by monks, students and citizens of Burma, that was quickly and cruelly put down by the military. Over 130 monks and others were murdered by the army and the film shows that and the evolution of the protests in gritty realism by way of the Burma VJs who risked their own lives to bring coverage of the uprising to the outside world with their hand-held cameras. It was quite something to see the monks take to the streets and the support that their actions generated, as well as students who rallied their own by putting their lives on the line to express their dissatisfaction with the military rulers of their country. The film material was smuggled out of the country and broadcast back into Burma by satellite, as well as picked up by the international news media. The reaction of the military junta to the protests brought world-wide condemnation though the Burmese generals stood firm and rode out the international storm that followed. You can find out more about this gripping film here.