Burma Junta Offers Tokens

Even AFP is not buying this one. The military junta in Burma is offering concessions to the opposition in an attempt to cool international disgust over the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. And oddly, even the AFP appears to be recognizing that the United States is leading the efforts to force changes.

YANGON (AFP) - Myanmar's junta Saturday tried to cool growing UN pressure over its deadly crackdown on peaceful protests, offering talks with democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and relaxing its blockage of the Internet.

But analysts warned that the rare gestures offered by the regime appeared to be token efforts to stave off tougher UN action demanded by the United States and other Western countries.

Faced with the biggest protests against military rule in nearly two decades, Myanmar's government launched a bloody crackdown in late September that left at least 13 dead and more than 2,000 locked up.

Across Asia, activists on Saturday took to the streets in cities from Sydney to Bangkok, kicking off a global day of protest against Myanmar's bloody crackdown on dissent.

Hundreds rallied outside Sydney's iconic Opera House, while in Melbourne 1,000 people marched, some carrying red banners that read "no more bloodshed."

Agam has a post up about the day of protest.

A side note here. The country's name is Burma, not Myanmar. The latter is a name forced on it by the junta after the last massacre, as is "Yangon" instead of Rangoon. When - and if - the people of Burma change the name of the country, the west should accept it. Until then, any wire service, government or commenter that uses the name imposed by the junta is playing into the hands of that group of thugs.

Free Burma.