Burma on The Brink

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Bus passengers waiting for buses August 15, 2007 in front of the City Hall in Yangon, Myanmar.

Christian Holst / Getty

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No surprise then that many Burmese sympathize with the protesters. "You knock on a door late at night and whisper, 'Let me in, brother,'" says an activist who has so far escaped the police dragnet. "People willingly help us, even though they're well aware of the dire consequences." The regime is doing its best to prevent further unrest and capture any stray dissidents. Trucks full of hired enforcers patrol major street corners in Rangoon. The U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Burma has received reports that some of the arrested activists are being tortured. But the generals have to be careful with their clampdown--too much violence could fuel even more civilian anger. "It's likely that an economic spark, combined with a dramatically violent response from the regime, could set the stage for revolt," says Aung Naing Oo, a Bangkok-based Burma analyst.

It's not clear, though, what threat unarmed civilians can truly pose to a military that has already shown a willingness to use force to keep order. Without firm action from bodies like the U.N. or economic patrons like China, the country's generals may well be able to muddle through, as they did back in '88. In the meantime, Burma's underground activists are calling for continued resistance. The latest effort, scheduled for three evenings this month, requires Burmese to bang on pots, pans and other metal objects at 7:02 p.m., 8:01 p.m. and 9 p.m.--propitious times that each add up to the number 9, so beloved by Burma's military brass. Organizers hope the cover of night will embolden more people to join the noise campaign. Burma's long-suffering citizens can only hope the world will do more than just listen.