Letter to the People of Burma(Myanmar) (re-blog)

Myanmar (Burma) will not allow international monitors to oversee its elections on November 7, 2010. The country ruled by their military SINCE 1962 has a constitution requiring more than 100 military nominees in their parliament.A reflection on how the junta will tighten their power grip. I wrote a blog 2 years ago about Burma and I am re-blogging it in solidarity with the people of Burma.

Dear Brothers and Sisters:
Your country is experiencing a decade long repression that as a people you are not only given scarce but misleading information. You can not communicate outside of your country whether mobile or internet because the junta cut it off. Do not be intimidated my dear brothers. What is happening to your beautiful country , we experienced 20 years ago when the Philippines was under a dictatorship.

Hold on to your belief. We know that the junta raided your sacred monasteries, beat up monks and shooting unarmed students. These acts are desperate attempt to salvage their decaying regime. Remember my dear brothers that everytime they hurt you, their morale were attacked in return.

We are praying for your country. May you find consolation in our EDSA revolution 20 years ago when we marched unafraid. We were students who at that time were not thinking to oust a regime but to express our outrage to the assasination of Ninoy Aquino. But our outrage was rewarded by ending a 20 year dictatorship.

The Burmese people will also be rewarded and the Junta knows it. That is the reason my brothers why they are using violence. They inflict fear but deep inside their heart they are the one afraid.

I pray for you courageous Burma and may the faith continue to guide you. One day when the darkness is defeated (because it will surely come), I am the first Filipino to salute you.Even though we are ocean apart my heart is with you. Because once I stood up with more than a million Filipinos in 1986 against a regime quite similar as yours.

At the end you will be triumphant just like us. Just hold on!.

Arnel L. Cadeliña