Honor the Spirit of Saffron Revolution

 Two years ago this week, thousands of monks and citizens flooded the streets of Burma protesting against military rule. The courage of the initial protesters spurred over 100,000 more to participate in the largest demonstrations to take place in Burma in 20 years.

Dubbed the Saffron Revolution, this event inspired many around the globe, and people staged solidarity protests in countries such as: Malaysia, Thailand, Czech Republic, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In the aftermath of the Saffron Revolution, the world community renewed interest in Burma and governments began to increase pressure on the regime. Since the uprising, the UN has increased its pressure on the military junta, with last November's call by Ban Ki-moon's "Friends of Myanmar" group to free all political prisoners, including Nobel Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Here in the United Sates, grassroots activism helped pass the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE Act which prevents millions of US dollars from flowing into the hands of the regime.

Though the uprising was brutally suppressed, the movement continues around the world today. At USCB we are working with our partners thoughout the world to press the UN Security Council to investigate crimes against humanity and war crimes that the regime has committed against ethnic minorities in Burma, as well as continuing our work in solidarity with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all those unjustly imprisoned in Burma.

Below is a time line of major events taking place around the country to pay tribute to those who stood up for freedom during the Saffron Revolution. Please take a look at these events and see if there are any in your area. We hope you can join us in remembering these courageous men, women, and children.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Woodrum and Mike Haack

PS. If you are planning an event that we missed, please let me know and we will spread the word to our networks in your area.