[Buddha-l] [T.I.C] overthrowing authoritarian governments

[Joy Vriens]

Weng-Fai Wong wrote,

>While I am all for keeping the clamp on the junta, I think the situation 
>probably will turn for the worse before it can get better. As illustrated by 
>the popular uprising against Marcos (Philipines) and Soeharto (Indonesia), 
>it will take internal strife in the junta plus the concerted effort of the 
>population within the country, for real change to happen. 

The BBC website gives a recipe for overthrowing authoritarian governments:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7021567.stm
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Widespread public protests, bringing in many different social and economic groups 

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An opposition leadership with clear ideas around which people can rally 

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The ability to use the media in some form to get a message across 

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A mechanism for undermining the existing regime - whether by internal coup in the case of a military junta, the emergence of reformers, or the simple exhaustion of an existing government leading to its collapse 

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External pressure from key countries able to exert influence. 

Experience has shown that a combination of the above is usually necessary for success. 

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Hopefully American Buddhists will make good use of this information to overthrow their authoritarian goverment.