BURMA COUP - 14

March 23: (Note: This was an internal admin message.) Since expanding the Facebook group KNU Watch from Karen issues to the popular revolution, it has really taken off, both in the number of members and in the number of new posts that the new members are trying to make. This may well increase. We could end up with 100,000 members and who make 100 posts a day.

One thing I have tried to do is keep the group focused. There are so many subjects now and content types. Maybe we should think about this a bit. The content I have been posting is as follows:

Everything I can find about Karen issues: Karen protests, KNU and KNLA activity (fighting, defending the protests), other Karen EAO activity (although I still hate the BGF).

The protests around the country - there are so many now, morning, during the day, and at night, they are too much to cover, but I still make strings of posts once or twice a day, just to portray to the group the momentum - arguably - the growing momentum, that the protests have.

Any information we find that can actually help the protestors.

Any news of protestors fighting back.

Clips of junta thugs acting as thugs.

Crackdowns and the victims of the dictatorship. Thus is tricky - I think we need to portray the atrocities, but I don't think we need strings of gory images since it will bring people down. Sometimes it is better to show the funerals or the memorials.

Analysis and commentary: I post some short pieces sometimes, and you approve posts that have local language commentary about the Karen, the protests and the Tatmadaw.

Selected posts about international diplomatic actions - sanctions and U.N news and the like - only stuff that seems significant.

Very few posts about CRPH, who the Tatmadaw is repressing in CDM, other group statements, etc. Again, only the most significant.

Very selected posts of international media, diplomat, and "expert" commentary about what is happening.

Almost no posts of TV coverage of the protests - none of it is original and we already post the action long before they get it. (Some of the new members are posting clip after clip of TV coverage.)

Almost no posts of old news, anything that was originally posted two or more days before the present day.

Many groups about Burma now are extremely disjointed. The posts jump from one thing to another and appear completely random. We can keep moderating the group so it maintains a foundation in Karen issues and the revolution. If we accept everything everyone is trying to post KNU Watch will end up like all the other groups.

I think we need to concentrate on what is happening the Revolution!, and less on what people say is happening. (I'm sorry, but I will make short analytical points from time to time.) I would prefer we avoid other analysts unless their insights are good, including the people - the talking heads - who film their talks. (We are getting upwards of ten a day of these now.) We dealt with this before. Lots of people now go on camera and say what they think. Fine. But we should listen to them first and see if they really add something before accepting their posts. I don't want to shut down other commentators by any means - I'm sure some are great. But I doubt they all are great. We are also getting a lot of people posting their songs. Some of these are probably good, too, I don't know, but many may just see the group as an opportunity to get more views. And then there are the usual trolls.

We have lots of members now I think who are actually marching in the protests. They, together with the Karen, are our main audience. What do they want to hear and see?

March 23: Something the world and most commentators don't understand. The protestors are out at dawn, during the day, and at night. And they are EVERYWHERE - all over Burma! This isn't going to stop. The people won't stop, and the dictatorship can't make them stop. It is simply a question of who will give up first, but the people never will. The generals don't want to, either, but they will have to, as more and more of their police and soldiers slip away.

March 25: If the news is correct, the KIA have taken the Tatmadaw bases between Myitkyina and Bhamo. And they are fighting in the Laiza area. If they can take the bases between Bhamo and Laiza they will disrupt the entire dictatorship supply line. They can then expand their operations in other areas (Hpakant, Putao) and even help the protestors in the cities (Myitkyina, including against the big Tatmadaw base near the airport). The tide is turning.

March 25: It would be good if the EAOs that are active now would send commando teams to the cities to work with the protestors.