There are several things that a concerned person in the West can do to help the situation in Burma.If you are a praying sort of person, pray for the situation. Pray for a peaceful stepping down of the military regime and restoration of a fair and democratic government. The Burmese monks themselves have asked for prayers. If you aren't a praying sort of person, send healing energy or positive thoughts. And above all, tell other people what is happening. Link to the BBC or Wikipedia or other relatively unbiased news sources, or even to this blog.
UK people have a number of options for action:
- Sign an official petition to the Prime Minister to continue his personal engagement on Burma.
- Contact your MP to register your concern for the situation and request they support the Government in speaking out against the military junta. Find out who your MP is & get their email address.
- Email the EU President. Portugal currently holds the EU Presidency and you can send email via the Portugese embassy in London.
- Write to the Foreign Secretary to request UK investment sanctions.
- Consider joining the demonstration outside the Burmese Embassy in London every day from 12-1pm.
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
19 A CHARLES STREET
LONDON W1J 5DX
Nearest tube: Green Park.
US people should write to your senators or state representatives to let them know you are pleased with the decision for sanctions. (This will work especially well if both you & your state representative are non-Bush supporters normally.) Also look at the suggestions from the US Campaign for Burma.
As far as I know, there is still no safe way to send aid into the country. If you send money, it gets taken by the government to fund their projects, like randomly building a new state capital. All we can send is hope and strength for the people, and urge our politicians to act.