The regime survived 1988 as it had those earlier dangerous moments; now it hopes that the coincidence of the opening of the Beijing Olympics will divert the world’s attention from the 8-8-88 anniversary. But the Burmese people, supported by Burmese demonstrators around the world, won’t let it be forgotten. They know that this is a pathological system which – like that whose collapse was heralded by the fall of the Berlin wall – cannot survive. Democracy is stronger than bullying. Burma’s people are stronger than their rulers. When the next moment in an epic struggle for democracy arrives, the Shiseishii Ayédawpon [the '88 revolution] will be its foundation.
- Extracted from Kyi May Kaung, “Burma: waiting for the dawn“, Open Democracy, 8 August 2008.
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