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Free Burma; Free Aung San Suu Kyi
10th Annual Burma Human Rights Day Benefit
(A public outreach and awareness activity in support of Burma's people!)
Free Burma; Free Aung San Suu Kyi
10th Annual Burma Human Rights Day Benefit
(A public outreach and awareness activity in support of Burma's people!)
Saturday, March 13, 2010; 6:00pm-10:00pm
Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Hall,
1924 Cedar (at Bonita),
Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Hall,
1924 Cedar (at Bonita),
Berkeley, CA 94709-2022, USA
Each year, the people from Burma around the world commemorate March 13 as the Burma Human Rights Day to make the death of the engineering student Ko Phone Maw as he was murdered by the Burma's military in his school campus. The killing set off the historic 1988 nation-wide pro-democracy uprising in Burma after 26 years of oppression. However, the regime brutally cracked down the peaceful protests and continued hold on to power for decades. In September, 2007, yet another historic and massive, but peaceful protests for democracy led by the students and monks took place; but, as always, the regime brutally murdered the innocent protesters and monks. The Peoples' endless and painful struggle for freedom, for over four decades, continues to this day.
The world has yet again witnessed the brutality of the regime when the Cyclone Nargis devastated the lower delta region of Burma on May 2nd, 2008. Hundreds of thousands left for dead by starvations denying much needed urgent help despite international appeals and pressure.
To continue to raise the awareness about the brutal dictatorship and the people's suffering in Burma, and to discuss planning actions, this year again, BADA will hold its ninth Annual Burma Human Rights Day event on Saturday March 13, 2010 at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists hall, 1924 Cedar (@Bonita) in Berkeley from 6 pm to 10 pm.
The military regime in Burma is planning a sham election this year to formally erase the results of 1990 election in which People of Burma overwhelming voted for the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Furthermore, the constitution that was illegal crafted by the military and forcibly gotten the approval during the Nagis disaster is designed to formalize the military rule in Burma. Therefore, 2010 is the most important year yet for the people of Burma and their beloved leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all prodemocracy forces in Burma. Our speakers will discuss the current political situation in Burma as well as human rights issues and, most importantly, how you can help. Therefore, please join us for a dinner, film and outstanding speakers on Burma and human rights issues.
The military regime in Burma is planning a sham election this year to formally erase the results of 1990 election in which People of Burma overwhelming voted for the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Furthermore, the constitution that was illegal crafted by the military and forcibly gotten the approval during the Nagis disaster is designed to formalize the military rule in Burma. Therefore, 2010 is the most important year yet for the people of Burma and their beloved leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all prodemocracy forces in Burma. Our speakers will discuss the current political situation in Burma as well as human rights issues and, most importantly, how you can help. Therefore, please join us for a dinner, film and outstanding speakers on Burma and human rights issues.
SPEAKERS:
Dr. Sein Win, Burma's Elected MP and Prime Minister of NCGUB, Government in Exile
Dr. Sein Win is the elected Member of Parliament in exile and the Prime Minister of National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).
After brutally cracking down the 1988 nationwide prodemocracy uprising, the military regime in Burma held an election in May, 1990 anticipating the military-backed party would win. However, in the election, the people of Burma overwhelmingly voted for the prodemocracy representatives, and the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory. Dr. Sein Win, first cousin of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was elected from Paukkaung Constituency, Pegu Division.
When the military junta refused to honor the election results and instead started arresting NLD leaders and elected representatives throughout the country, the NLD caucus held a series of secret meetings and decided to send some of its MPs -- including Dr. Sein Win, to the liberated areas to form a provisional government. The main task of that legitimately elected government is to help restore democracy and human rights in Burma. As a result, the NCGUB was formed in Manerplaw (Karen State) on December 18, 1990, and Dr. Sein Win was elected as the Prime Minister.
After ignoring the election results for decades, brutally repressing the elected representatives and the opposition , including imprisoning Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the military regime is now planning a sham election in Burma this year to formally erase the results of 1990 elections -- the true will of the people, and to legalize the military rule in Burma.
Currently Dr. Sein Win is serving his fifth-term as Prime Minister of the NCGUB. He will talk about current political situation inducing the situation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, NLD and the position of NCGUB.
Toe Lwin: Burma’s former political prisoner and Youth Leader of NLD
Toe Lwin is a former political prisoner and a Youth Leader of National League for Democracy (NLD) since the 1988 prodemocracy uprising in Burma. In 2000, he became one of the Central Youth Committee leaders of the National League for Democracy (Headquarter) . He was then selected by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to lead her security team.
The regime’s orchestrated brutal attack on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the envoy, Depayin massacre, occurred on May 30, 2003. As he protected Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from the beatings of attackers, thugs organized by junta, he was severely injured and then arrested by the military intelligent. He was again horribly beaten in the interrogation center in Khantee prison. After suffering from continuous mental and physical torture, he was released on December 2, 2003. Toe Lwin went back to NLD headquarter and assisted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as he did before.
In May 2007, Toe Lwin and student leaders: Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe, Mya Aye, Su Su Nway, Phyu Phyu Thin led several campaigns to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all the political prisoners. While political tension was rising, the security forces threatened to arrest Toe Lwin multiple times. He hid at colleagues and friends’ houses from time to time and moved from one place to another. Fearing the certain arrest and torture, he left for Thai-Burma border in July, 2007. He then migrated to the United States. He is currently living in the San Francisco Bay Area and continues to advocate democracy and freedom in Burma.
Toe Lwin will talk about his activist life in Burma and the experience from the Depayin Massacre and the Khantee prison.
Chivy Sok: International Human Rights Advocate
Chivy Sok, an educator, trainer and researcher on human rights and child labor, currently serves on the Steering Committee of the Ginetta Sagan Fund of Amnesty International USA. The Fund is dedicated to supporting courageous women who risk their lives to promote and protect human rights of women and children around the world. Currently, she also provides philanthropic consulting services in a variety of areas, including human rights, women’s rights, corporate accountability, environmental justice, and sustainable agriculture.
She is the former Program Director of Columbia University's Center for the Study of Human Rights and former Deputy Director of the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights (UICHR). While at the UICHR, she was appointed as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Iowa School of Law where she co-taught an advanced research seminar on international human rights and child labor and also concurrently served as the Project Director of a $1.2 million initiative on global child labor under contract with the U.S. Department of Labor.
She has worked on a number of human rights projects and NGOs during the last decade, including serving as Co-Director of the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development for Human Rights and the National Campaign Coordinator at the Cambodian Association of Illinois.
She has worked on a number of human rights projects and NGOs during the last decade, including serving as Co-Director of the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development for Human Rights and the National Campaign Coordinator at the Cambodian Association of Illinois.
$15 Suggested Donation (dinner included) to benefit BADA
Draft Program: Dinner (6-7 pm), Speakers (7-9 pm), Film (9:00-9:30), Q&A (9:30-10:00)
Dinner is vegetarian friendly; Talks will be in English; Contents are OK for children
Organized by Burmese American Democratic Alliance (BADA).
Contact: Anil Verma: 510 485 3751
Email: info@badasf. org; Website: www.badasf.org
