Yesterday and today, the Peace for Burma, which is a coalition of individuals and organisations that have been campaigning for democracy and human rights in Burma, organised series of activities such as seminar, candlelight vigil, and demonstration. It was done to commemorate the "Saffron Revolution", the mass peaceful demonstrations across Burma in August-September 2007 calling for an end to fuel hike, the release of political prisoners and Aung San Suu Kyi, and the call for national reconcilitation. The demonstration was led by Buddhist monks, therefore the movement was called as "Saffron Revolution" - saffron being the color of the robes worn by Buddhist monks.
The event ended with brutal crackdown on the demonstrators which resulted to at least 31 death and numerous numbers of disappearances which are still unaccounted for. The number was confirmed by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Burma, Professor Paulo Pinheiro, but the pro-democracy groups raise that the numbers would be much higher, perhaps up to 400-500 killed.
ASEAN, in the midst of its ratification process of the charter, has been addressing the issue on Burma weakly, if not none at all. It was interestingly pointed out by Dr. Buranaj Smutharak, a member of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus that if ASEAN cannot solve the problem of Burma - as it has failed to do so in the past 20 years - ASEAN will be irrelevant to the region and to the world.
I hope that admist the massive public stunts by ASEAN governments and the ASEAN Secretary-General that the ASEAN Charter will make the oranisation a "people's oriented" one and will benefit the well-being people. Moreover I hope that ASEAN can really deliver in pressuring Burma to move forward and to respect human rights and democracy (and to bring those perpetretors in the massacre during the Saffron Revolution to justice).
If not, ASEAN will be remembered as an organisation that allows "the ASEAN people" to be shot, beatened, and tortured massacred while the ASEAN's states watch and allow those atrocities to continue. Then, we will have to sadly reflect that the "people's oriented" principle of ASEAN is just a public stunt and a sham rhetoric.
Below is a coverage of reuters on our event. Credits of the photo goes to Prachatai.
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Activists commemorate anniversary of Myanmar's bloody protests.
Dozens of Thai and Myanmar activists held a peaceful demonstration outside Bangkok's Culture Centre on Friday (September 26) to demand democracyin Myanmar and commemorate the first anniversary of Myanmar's bloody crackdown.
The event ended with brutal crackdown on the demonstrators which resulted to at least 31 death and numerous numbers of disappearances which are still unaccounted for. The number was confirmed by the former UN Special Rapporteur on Burma, Professor Paulo Pinheiro, but the pro-democracy groups raise that the numbers would be much higher, perhaps up to 400-500 killed.
ASEAN, in the midst of its ratification process of the charter, has been addressing the issue on Burma weakly, if not none at all. It was interestingly pointed out by Dr. Buranaj Smutharak, a member of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus that if ASEAN cannot solve the problem of Burma - as it has failed to do so in the past 20 years - ASEAN will be irrelevant to the region and to the world.
I hope that admist the massive public stunts by ASEAN governments and the ASEAN Secretary-General that the ASEAN Charter will make the oranisation a "people's oriented" one and will benefit the well-being people. Moreover I hope that ASEAN can really deliver in pressuring Burma to move forward and to respect human rights and democracy (and to bring those perpetretors in the massacre during the Saffron Revolution to justice).
If not, ASEAN will be remembered as an organisation that allows "the ASEAN people" to be shot, beatened, and tortured massacred while the ASEAN's states watch and allow those atrocities to continue. Then, we will have to sadly reflect that the "people's oriented" principle of ASEAN is just a public stunt and a sham rhetoric.
Below is a coverage of reuters on our event. Credits of the photo goes to Prachatai.
---
Activists commemorate anniversary of Myanmar's bloody protests.
Dozens of Thai and Myanmar activists held a peaceful demonstration outside Bangkok's Culture Centre on Friday (September 26) to demand democracyin Myanmar and commemorate the first anniversary of Myanmar's bloody crackdown.
About 35 protesters held banners and chanted slogans "Free Burma and Free Aung San Suu Kyi" while marching to one of the main shopping districts in Bangkok.
The activists, who wore red T-shirts, gathered to show their supportfor the people of Myanmar and urge the international community to put an end to human rights violations in the country.
Candles were lit in memory of those killed in last September'scrackdown and were followed by a moment of silence.
At least 31 people were killed when soldiers opened fire on crowds across the former capital of Yangon, the United Nations estimates. Western governments say the real toll was probably higher. A Japanese journalist wasamong the dead.
Dissidents in Thailand expect more protests as the country's outlook remains grim, with the junta expected to hold elections in 2010, a move some activists think could entrench military rule.
The junta bans Myanmar nationals from holding political office if they have foreign spouses or children with foreign passports - a clause said by protesters to prevent the election of political prisoner and opposition leaderof the National League for Democracy (NLD) Aung Suu Kyi.
"Recently, Myanmar's military junta just said Aung San Suu Kyi could not join the election in 2010. It's truly showing that Myanmar's government is not sincere about upholding democracy in the country," said protester Pokpong Lawansiri.
A year ago, the junta ordered troops into central Yangon to end a week of massive demonstrations led by Buddhist monks who called for the removal of45 years of army rule. This week, 79-year-old journalist Win Tin, Myanmar's longest-serving political prisoner, was freed after 19 years in jail. Another 2,100 remain behind bars.
Suu Kyi has been in prison or under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years.
Source: http://tvscripts.edt.reuters.com/2008-09-26/9731d41.html
The activists, who wore red T-shirts, gathered to show their supportfor the people of Myanmar and urge the international community to put an end to human rights violations in the country.
Candles were lit in memory of those killed in last September'scrackdown and were followed by a moment of silence.
At least 31 people were killed when soldiers opened fire on crowds across the former capital of Yangon, the United Nations estimates. Western governments say the real toll was probably higher. A Japanese journalist wasamong the dead.
Dissidents in Thailand expect more protests as the country's outlook remains grim, with the junta expected to hold elections in 2010, a move some activists think could entrench military rule.
The junta bans Myanmar nationals from holding political office if they have foreign spouses or children with foreign passports - a clause said by protesters to prevent the election of political prisoner and opposition leaderof the National League for Democracy (NLD) Aung Suu Kyi.
"Recently, Myanmar's military junta just said Aung San Suu Kyi could not join the election in 2010. It's truly showing that Myanmar's government is not sincere about upholding democracy in the country," said protester Pokpong Lawansiri.
A year ago, the junta ordered troops into central Yangon to end a week of massive demonstrations led by Buddhist monks who called for the removal of45 years of army rule. This week, 79-year-old journalist Win Tin, Myanmar's longest-serving political prisoner, was freed after 19 years in jail. Another 2,100 remain behind bars.
Suu Kyi has been in prison or under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years.
Source: http://tvscripts.edt.reuters.com/2008-09-26/9731d41.html
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