The Burma Bulletin - maiden article

The the situation in Burma is a world headline today and you must be getting all the news from various media organizations already. In that case, i am introducing a new section from this website, it will cover two themes; one is about governments position on Burma and the other one is a compilation of actions from the civil society and/or social movements around the world in support of the peoples of Burma. For now, I am calling it the Burma Bulletin.


Here goes the first attempt.

WHAT GOVERNMENTS SAY?

India has been concerned on the situation in Burma not so much on the violence that the ruling junta is exerting on the protesters but more on their economic interests. It is a shame that the biggest democracy in Asia is reluctant to take a bolder move in favor of the suffering peoples of Burma. In its statement issued to the media, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said that “It is our hope that all sides will resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue. India has always believed that Myanmar’s process of political reform and national reconciliation should be more inclusive and broad-based,”

The statement is nothing more than an insult to the injury of the monks and the Burmese peoples. From day one of the protests actions, the monks have been demanding for reconciliation and yet they were charged with tear gas and shot at with live rounds. The junta does not know the real meaning of peaceful dialogue and national reconciliation. For almost 20 years, we never saw an inclusive and broad-based approach from the junta to deliver peace and development in the country. Contrary to its name, the State for Peace and Development Council (SPDC) has been consistently exploiting and persecuting the peoples of Burma.

Enough of rhetoric, India must put its foot down

Good news from friends

Nur Kholis, my Indonesian classmate at MAINS program emailed us this evening to inform that the Indonesian Commission on Human Rights (Nur being a new member of the Commission) has put the Burma situation in their formal agenda yesterday. His other organization, Wahid Institute will conduct a prayer rally tonight together with Indonesian activists and human rights defenders.

My Filipino friend, Pete Rahon, working at May 18 Foundation has passed around the petition I forwarded him and informed that May 18 Foundation will hold a demonstration this Saturday.

My other friend from Germany, Sumy Roth, chat with me this evening and told me that she has been passing the petition as well.

These are heart warming information that I would like to share with you as well.

Take a step now, sign up for the Global Petition!

Dear Friends,

As you may notice, I have been devoting my website to the cause of Burma democracy and human rights struggle. I have sent some friends a global petition that has been circulating around for a few days now.

If you are not one of the recipients of that global petition yet, please visit this link http://www.avaaz. org/en/stand_ with_burma/ h.php/?cl= 20636099 and sign up now. Stand up and be counted.

Burma’s struggle for democracy is very close to my heart because we were in that situation before and I knew how it feels to be under martial rule for 23 years with our basic civil and political rights curtailed. When I was still working in Amnesty International in the Philippines, we formed a network called Free Burma Coalition in 1994 to show our solidarity and as a response to pressure the junta (military) government which called itself the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC ) but changed its name to State for Peace and Development Council or SPDC. I was also one of the founding members of the regional network Alternative ASEAN (ALTSEAN) based in Bangkok, Thailand which focuses on Burma. I had the opportunity to visit the Thai-Burma border twice and met the ethnic nationals during my visits. In late 1990s, I was also privileged to interview U Thin Oo, vice president of National League for Democracy (NLD) for a radio program with international listeners. Through those years, we never stopped haunting the SPDC to give up their military power and turn it over to a civilian authority. NLD, through the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide electoral victory in 1990 but was not able to exercise their mandate for a single day to govern Burma. Instead she was put under house arrests and some of the NLD leaders have to go on political exile in different countries just to survive and continue with their fight for genuine democracy in Burma.

What has been happening in the last nine days is a prelude to another crackdown that happened in the 1988 uprising in Burma which was spearheaded by the student’s activists at that time. I have said this because the SPDC has no regard at all for the legitimate demands of the protesting monks. To date, a monk has been shot dead and there have been arrests of at least 100 monks and nuns and the hundreds that were injured when tear gas was used to disperse the peaceful demonstrations. BUT, there is one difference at that time and today, the world was not aware that killings have been going on in Burma in 1988, but nowadays, everything is known to the international community, support is coming from civil society from different parts of the world. So, don’t let this moment slip away without doing anything to support their struggle for democracy and human rights. We can see light at the end of the tunnel.

And there is one thing that I am very sure of - the spirit and fervor of the peoples in Burma will prevail.

SPDC police violently dispersed the monks and nuns demonstration

With three term papers to write, 3 presentations to prepare and lot readings to catch up, i cannot do much to actively participate in condemning the attacks of the SPDC police to the protesting monks. Its deplorable, barbaric and desperate act on the part of the SPDC. I fervently hope that the international community, through the UN will act now rather than later and before it gets too late! Rhetorics should be followed by deeds.

Please check the link below for images from BBC news on the attacks of SPDC police to the ranks of the monks. At least 100 monks and nuns were injured and arrested.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7013852.stm

Let me however share this poem that i wrote yesterday morning to show my respect and solidarity with the monks and people of Burma. (I wrote this before the dispersal on the demonstration happened)

(photo courtesy of BBC news)

The Golden Monks

Shaven heads and bare feet

Petite bodies in Maroon robes

Walking the long miles of road

Chanting let there be peace

Let there be peace on this land of gold

Walking under the sun and rain

With laurels on their ears maintain

Inspiration in this time of desperation

As the chanting echoes on and on

Let there be peace, let there be peace

19 long years of suffering and misery

The robes cannot be silenced in treachery

By a junta that is power-greedy

The chanting will not fade away

Let there be peace, oh let there be peace

Revered and love by everyone

Human chains are created as one

To secure them from harm

As they pray and chant

Let there be peace, yes, let there be peace

In meditation but will not be silenced

Peaceful but can be radical in their own way

Petite but courageous and strong

The monks in maroon keep chanting

Let there be peace and peace shall reign

Show you care, take actions now! and make a difference!

Dear Friends,

Today is a new moon. I hope that it also brings new future for Burma very soon . It has been 19 long years that the people are suffering under the junta government called SPDC (State for Peace and Development Council). Let not this moment pass you by without taking any actions. show your support and solidarity.


Am sharing here with you two very important links to keep you updated on what is happening in Burma on a daily basis. the first link, http://www.ncgub.net/, is the site of the National Coalition of Government Union in Burma and the other one is a media organization called The Irrawaddy, http://www.irrawaddy.org/ which covers Burma and the rest of South East Asia. Please visit them, better yet bookmark them.

So take actions now, big or small, virtual or real time, everything that you do matters to our brothers and sisters in Burma.

Let me share two quotations from two of the people i admire so much. may they inspire you too!

It is not the kings and generals that make history, but the masses of the people.
- Nelson Mandela

When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes a duty.
- ‘Che’ Guevara

Demonstration infront of Myanmar Embassy Seoul

MAINS students gathered together for the demonstration after class; the weather did not cooperate that day .

The demonstrators finally reached the embassy and joined the other Burmese activists who were there waiting for us already.

Our Burmese friend Nay Tun and Badrul from Malaysiawere shielding me from the rain while reading our statement below. The statement was given to the embassy through the police officer who were "protecting" the Myanmar Junta embassy.

Joint Statement of MAINS Programme students of Sungkonghoe University
September 18, 2007
South Korea

The arrest of the members of the 88 generation student leaders from the National League for Democracy (NLD) on August 21 is illegal.

The arrested leaders were protesting against the price hike of fuel imposed by the Junta government. It was ironic that the demand for their basic economic right to rollback the price of fuel to make it affordable for ordinary people was greeted with another violation of their basic political right to air their legitimate grievances.

The decades of sufferings of the Burmese and other ethnic nationals under the Junta government merits our immediate attention to denounce its continued suppression of the fundamental rights of its people. It has been an international knowledge that this regime for the longest time, is trampling on the peoples’ economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights. The endless unrest and conflict between and among its people are considered crimes against humanity that has to be addressed promptly.

The right to a peaceful assembly and to be free from arbitrary arrest and detention are guaranteed under articles 3 and 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other international laws. The State and Peace Development Council (SPDC), as member of the United Nations are duty bound to uphold these rights at all times and should be made accountable for their actions.

The SPDC cannot continue to turn its deaf ears and blind eyes away from the truth anymore. It has to face up to the problems it created and let the people be free of their misery. Enough is enough!

And we demand that it must start now! Free the 88 generation student leaders now!

Listen to the people of Burma. They want freedom and democracy. They want freedom from hunger and deprivation of their land and natural resources. They want peace and development their way. They want to live harmoniously and look forward to a better future. They want to live as human beings.

They want it now and we support their claims.

Free Burma Now!

Photos courtesy of Pinpaka Ngamsom

We Are With You

As i was preparing to write the statement for our demonstrations i was reading the information related to the arrests of the leaders of the 88 students generation. One article had a tremendous effect on me and it prompted me to write a tribute for their bravery. This poem is for them.

We Are With You
(a poem for Nilar Thein and Kyaw Min Yu**)

They jailed him for fifteen years
To break his heart and bones
They locked her up for ten years
To break her bones and heart

A cowardly act, a disgrace in disguise
A soldier of brutality and despise
A killing machine in the waiting
No way, you can’t break them down

They may have fragile bodies
But their spirits are unconquered
They maybe weak physically
But their soul is whole and free

What is it there to be scared of?
Why freedom and democracy
Can’t be as sacred as life?
Why respond with cruelty and brutality?

Like birds they will soar
The walls and bars will roar
Heaven and sky will cry
It will crushed the hell in the eye

No amount of acts can justify
No amount of words can purify
No amount of silence can terrify
Everyone is heeding to fight and defy

Nilar Thein and Kyaw Min Yu
And at least a dozen more of you
Might be in Insein**prison so we construe
Keep those fires burning alive for we are with you!

* The couple Kyaw Min Yu and Nilar Thein were imprisoned for 15 and 10 years respectively. They have not been out of prison for very long but Kyaw Min was arrested again on August 21 along with dozens protester against fuel increases imposed by SPDC without notices. His wife is now in hiding to escape arrest too. They have a four month daughter.
**It is the notorious and infamous prison in Burma

And the protests in Burma continues...