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Wanting to understand the plights of people and repressive governments around the world

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(@jeanne-mayell)
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I started this topic because of two news stories in today's news that made me want to learn more about what is going on in the world. While we suffer the bullying and cruelty of Donald Trump in America, I keep hearing about far worse treatment in other countries. I'd like to understand what is happening there. We have an international audience here. I am not trying to just focus on the negative. But I do want to shine a light on other people's situations not just the U.S.

In Myamar, which has an elected government, they have handed out one year jail sentences to actors poking fun at the military.What kind of government is this?

In Chili, one of the world's wealthiest countries, a million people have protested peacefully in Santiago about the rising cost of living and the inequity where 1% of the population has 33% of the wealth.That's a huge protest in one small country!  The  police killed a number of young protestors and arrested 7,000. In today's Boston Globe, the article on Chili only focused on the inconvenience of a canceled world summit there.  Did the government cancel the summit in part because they feared world attention on their inequity? 


   
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(@kerry)
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@jeanne-mayell

For SEAsia, I read:

The Diplomat  https://thediplomat.com/regions/southeast-asia/

New Mandala, Australian scholar's analysis of SEA, which also depicts the spirit-politics in the region https://www.newmandala.org/

OR Latin American Perspectives

http://latinamericanperspectives.com/


   
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(@thebeast)
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To me, the story of Myanmar after the end of british rule is the story of a people subjected to the torture of military dictatorship for decades . And that of, what seemed, a democratic opposition, determined, orderly and pacifistic led by the nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi that endured herself 15 years of house arrest . And one day, free election came and she rose to power . I overlooked the fact that she did not integrate minorities into candidacies from her party . And all that buddist supremacy rhetoric . And soon came the rohingya (muslim minority of Rakhine state) genocide . 24000+ deaths, 18000+ rapes, 1000000+ refugies . It was done under her government, she pathologically denies everything, arrests the jornalists that published news about it . I hoped for Mandela and got Pol Pot or Milosevic .

 

About Chile . Where to start ? You could read Inés of my Soul written by Isabel Allende .

A long standing democracy, elected a left-wing president that nationalised the copper mining industry . In the days of the cold war, that was something that America could not accept . So the CIA pumped money to the elites and right wing movements to wreak economic heavoc and bought some local military brass.

On 9/11/73 general Pinochet led a coup that began his dictatorship, killed and tortured thousands . And adopted a free market model, without much government spending. Not that different from America . Expensive heathcare . Expensive college. Misery throwing retirement plans . Most people suck up to it . After all, it's life . What can you do ? Some in America take the matters into their own hand, go mad and start shooting everyone until they get killed . Chile endured for decades in silence . But in the land of Lautaro and Caupolicán one day they rebelled . That day was last month . Sure the elite is back killing, torturing and repressing, much like the "lovely" Inés relentlessly decapitated . 

It's just another streamlet to add to this great ocean of blood that covers our Earth. 

 


   
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(@lovendures)
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Dresden Germany just declared a Nazi emergency.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50266955


   
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(@lovendures)
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Hong Kong protests escalating after 5 months of clashes.  Major upheaval in the Central Financial District, transportation corridors (roads, tunnels, trains) and Universities. 

"Hong Kong's rule of law has been pushed to the "brink of total collapse" after more than five months of protests, police have warned.

The warning came as protesters clashed with police across the city on Tuesday."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50384360

A brief story on what led to the protests.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-49317695


   
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(@viola-eade)
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@jeanne-mayell

HI Jeanne, thanks for bringing up the situation in my country, Chile

These last few weeks Chile has been totally chaotic. Last week a young man was shot in both eyes in a peaceful protest. Yesterday, two famous underprivileged neighboors were sieged by police special forces. The violence lasted all night. Cops fired tear gas in the buildings, they tried several illegal detentions and people just had enough and are starting to fight back with everything they have.

There was a national strike today, churches were burned down, banks, government institutions and politicians offices. Even a torture center from the dictatorship period was burned down. Looting hasn't stopped since this whole thing started. And far-right supporters are trying to shoot down protesters indiscriminately. In Chile gun bearing by citizens is strictly controled, the state has monopoly of the force so protesters can only fight back repression by hand, destroying things like stop signs to use them as shields and park benches and debris to throw at the police. A small group throws molotovs cocktails, but that's not usual.

Violence is escalating quickly and people is so incredibly outraged that this desire for destruction is spreading. 

25 people have died since October 18th, most of them killed by the police and a few died in looted buildings that were burned down. (could be more, because there's some unaccounted people) 

Regarding the number of people injured in hospitals, the total amounts to 2,009. 42 by bullet shot; 643 per rubber coated bullet shots; 345 per unidentified firearm; 41 for pellets; 938 for blows, gases and others.

In the same way, among all of them there are over 200 that present ocular mutilations attributable to shots fired by police, a figure without precedent in the world.

I don't know what is going to happen, something tells me a new coup could be in the working, I don't know if it will be a far-right doing (self coup) or a far-left one, incited by chavism or castrism. Most of us, regular people don't trust either side. We are scared, small businesses are at the verge of bankruptcy due to looting and fires. We cry out for changes and equality, and the government is not listening. We need to keep up the resistance and demonstrations but some of us are too scared to go out and be shot in the eyes, or be arrested for no reason and then found dead without explanation.


   
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(@jeanne-mayell)
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@viola-eade

I am holding you in my heart, viola.  Praying for you and for your people.


   
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(@coyote)
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@viola-eade

I "liked" your comment out of appreciation for bringing this info to our attention. I've read a bit from American news outlets about protesters in Chile suffering eye trauma, but I wasn't aware of the staggering numbers. Back when the Standing Rock protests were happening here in the US, a few stories made the rounds about peoples' faces and eyes suffering major injury from rubber bullets fired by police. But 200!? I'm always distressed when I hear about individuals left with permanent mutilation just for peacefully protesting. It's hard to think of anything that more fully expresses the darkness in our world.

I will also be keeping you and all other Chileans in my nightly meditations.  


   
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(@laura-f)
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Came across an excellent thread by an academic who studies genocide.

US Showing Signs of Genocidal Tendency

Not only are we halfway through her checklist, she rightfully points out that becoming a refugee rarely works out, and that genocides are never nipped in the bud.


   
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(@lovendures)
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Since the 2015 election, Netanyahu has warned his supporters that the minority could vote en masse to block him from power. Five years later, it appeared they might have succeeded.

( More can be found here)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/04/israel-arab-parties-make-historic-gains-election-support-surges

 


   
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