Join Burma Supporters at Solano Stroll Parade/Booth to spread awareness (Sept. 12, Sunday)

Join Burma Supporters at Solano Stroll Parade/Booth to spread awareness

 

Come Raise Awareness about Burma, Join Solano Stroll Parade and Burma booth (Sunday Sept. 12)

San Francisco Bay Area Burma supporters to join the Solano Avenue Street fair and the Parade this year again to speared awareness about  Burma and her culture. Come be a part of this wonderful community event and support Burma!!!!

36th Annual Solano Stroll "A Global A-Faire"
Sunday - September 12 2010, 10am - 6pm
Solano Avenue in Berkeley & Albany, CA

Burma supporters will join the parade in the mooring and at a Burma broth (at 1377 Solano Ave; in front of City bank) all day long. 

More info on Burma Parade/Booth: www.badasf.org; Call 415 420 1504 OR 510 485 3751 for questions/information on joining in / volunteering at parade and booth.

More info on Stroll: Organized by The Solano Avenue Association and Stroll  / http://www.solanoavenueassn.org/strol.htm

IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

* Parade begin at 10 AM with about 100 participating groups (Burmese will be one of them); it usually last about 1 to 1-1/2 hour;

* Parade participants to gather at 8:30 am; no later then 9:00 a.m. SHARP at the corner of FRESNO AVENUE and SOLANO AVENUE, Berkeley CA 94707;

  * Look for people with Burmese dresses and drums. Bring sings and banners and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi photos. All Burma Supporters are welcome to join in.

Over five hundred vendors, non-profit organizations, food booths and entertainers! 26 blocks of fun; One mile of Unique Shops, Professional Services, Restaurant and Specialty Stores.

This alcohol-free event promotes the unique traits of Solano Avenue, helping local businesses, local artists, and community organizations to thrive. The Stroll solidifies community spirit, neighbors find old friends, and families enjoy an afternoon in the sun.

Solano Stroll is the East Bay's largest street festival! The Solano Avenue Merchants Association invites you to come and see what makes Solano Avenue such a wonderful place. Participants and the event guests visit from everywhere throughout California; as well as neighboring states from Nevada to Maine. Every cuisine imaginable ** Filling the streets with hundreds of thousands.

DRESSES, SIGNS AND BANNERS


1.  Wear your national dresses to celebrate our culture

2.  We will have flags, banners and signs for you to carry and help spread the awareness about situation in Burma

3. We will need some of you to volunteer and carry some banners and signs

.

Transportation information for Fair goers

More information here: http://www.solanoavenueassn.org/strol/stroll_shuttle.html

Asean Secretary-General Hopes for Free Speech in Election

Asean Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan, center, talks to media on the sidelines of The 43rd annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers from the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations in Hanoi, on July 22. (Photo: AP)

The secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Surin Pitsuwan, said on Thursday he hopes there will be freedom of speech and travel prior to the upcoming Burmese elections on Nov. 7.

Pitsuwan told reporters in Da Nang, Vietnam, “I hope that Myanmar [Burma] will prove the skeptics wrong and Myanmar will respond positively to freedom of travel and expression during the lead up to the elections.”  He is in Vietnam to attend the 42nd Asean Economic Ministers Meeting.
His comments followed a recent statement released by the Foreign Minister of Vietnam that welcomed the decision by Burma to set the date for the elections. It also said regional governmets “encourages Burma to further accelerate progress in the implementation of the roadmap for national reconciliation and democracy, including preparations for the planned elections leading to a constitutional government."

The Asean secretariat issued a press release on Thursday saying: “It is certainly a welcome relief in the sense that the date is now definite. Not only has Asean been anxious about the preparations for the general elections in Myanmar, but the entire global community has been concerned that it would not be free, fair and effective as a mechanism of national reconciliation.

Asean also stressed the need for Burma to continue to work with Asean and the UN in this process and expressed its readiness to render assistance as deemed appropriate by Burma in accordance with the Asean Charter.

“Asean will keep close consultations with Burma in this regard,”said the statement.
Meanwhile, the Burmese opposition, regional human rights activists and the international community still have doubts that the Burmese election will be free and fair, partly because it lacks the participation of the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).

The NLD recently announced that it would boycott the election. Detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi also urged the Burmese people to monitor the election process closely and to report voting irregularities.

Source: The Irrawaddy

Take Action to End Crimes in Burma

Thank you to all of those who called the European Union (EU) Ambassadors to the UN and Washington, DC.  We need more calls! If you are not able to call, click here to send an email! Right now, the EU is drafting a resolution on Burma that it will introduce at the UN General Assembly meeting (UNGA) which will begin on the 3rd week of September.  We need your help to make sure this resolution calls for an establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into Crimes Against Humanity in Burma.  We need you to call the ambassadors again as soon as possible.   This is long over due. There have already been 19 UN General Assembly resolutions on Burma since 1991, but none have mentioned the Commission of Inquiry and none have taken serious action. Following UN Special Rapporteur Tomas Quintana's call for the investigation this March, some of the UN's most powerful players, including the US and UK, have endorsed his recommendation.   Support for the Commission of Inquiry is the highest it has even been.  But this is not enough, we need the EU, a major sponsor of the draft resolution on Burma, to include the call for the Commission of Inquiry in this UNGA resolution.  Below, we have included instructions on how to call or email.  Aung Din, Jennifer, Myra, Mike, and Nadi   Instructions: 1) Dial one of the numbers below and ask to speak to the corresponding ambassador (if you are not able to call, please email or fax).  Hi, may I speak to Ambassador XXX, I would like to ask him to support a Commission of Inquiry into Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes in Burma.  Ambassador's Contacts (1) His Excellency Mr. Pedro Serrano, Ambassador, Acting Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Tel. (212) 371 3804 Fax (212) 758 2718 Email: delegation-new-york@ec.europa.eu (2) His Excellency Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, European Union Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to the United States  Telephone: (202) 862-9500; Fax: (202) 429-1766 2) It is likely that they will ask you to leave a message with his assistant.  Hi Ambassador XXXX.  As you may know, the United States has already pledged its support for a UN-led Commission of Inquiry into crimes against humanity in Burma. This is a much needed step as the military regime in Burma has been brutally suppressing ethnic minorities and human rights defenders for more than four decades. Recently, the level of violence has been on the rise. Since 1996, the regime has burned down over 3,500 villages, and instances of rape and forced labor by the military are well documented. That is why I urge the EU to join the United States, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Australia in calling for this important measure towards accountability and justice in Burma.   *  We know that the EU is writing a draft resolution on Burma that it will submit at the upcoming UNGA 65th session.  We want the EU to make sure that its draft resolution includes a call to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to set up a Commission of Inquiry.  *  We believe that this is the right moment to take this action to pressure the regime to stop its sham election and to start negotiations with the democratic opposition led by Aung San Suu Kyi for real and sustainable national reconciliation and democratization.   3) You may want to leave your number in case they would like to call you back.   If you have any further questions about why you should support a Commission of Inquiry in Burma, feel free to call me at XXXXX 4) Thank them for taking the message!  5) Email mikejen@uscampaignforburma.org to let us know how the call went.

Army-Ruled Burma suspends visas on arrival before election

(Reuters) - Army-ruled Myanmar has suspended visas on arrival for tourists from September ahead of its first elections in two decades, officials said on Monday, potentially restricting access to the country for foreign observers.

The reclusive country began offering visas to arriving tourists in May to lift tourism. But the scheme will be suspended on Sept. 1, a government official told Reuters on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The Nov. 7 parliamentary poll, the first nationwide elections since 1991, are widely dismissed by critics as an elaborate charade aimed at cementing the army's grip on power and attracting investment.

"We think the real motive for this measure could be to prevent outside reporters and monitors from entering the country ahead of the Nov. 7 elections," a private tour operator said.

Total tourism arrivals in Myanmar during the fiscal year 2009-2010 stood at 300,000, up from 255,288 a year earlier.

Many foreign journalists traveled to the country on tourist visas during a monk-led political protest in 2007 and when Cyclone Nargis hit in 2008. The regime offers few opportunities for foreign observers to visit the country. Journalists and observers granted official visas are accompanied by minders.

The Association of South East Asian Nations has offered to send regional observers to Myanmar during the elections but there has been no official response thus far.

Last week, authorities published opaquely-worded rules that imposed tight controls on political campaigning.

Analysts say the regime plans to retain its political stake by backing several small parties and one large organisation, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which is made up of serving ministers recently retired from the army.

Critics expect the ruling generals to tightly control campaign activities of their opponents to ensure its proxies win most votes so the assemblies, of which 25 percent will be reserved for the armed forces, will be dominated by their allies.

USA Backs UN Burma Crimes Inquiry – Now EU Must Support

Burma Campaign UK today welcomed US backing for a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma, and called on European Union members to also express support.

On 17th August the USA became the fifth county to publicly support a UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma. The other countries are Australia, UK, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

The EU has so far remained silent on the March recommendation of the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma that the UN establish an Inquiry. Some EU members which favour a softer line towards Burma’s generals, such as Germany, Austria and Italy, as well as Commission officials, effectively play down the seriousness of human rights abuses in Burma by remaining silent about them. This may be because the seriousness of abuses taking place undermines their agenda to relax pressure and increase trade.

“The EU must end its silence on crimes against humanity in Burma, and publicly support a UN Inquiry,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “The EU is currently drafting the UN General Assembly resolution on Burma and must ensure the establishment of a UN Inquiry is in the resolution which is adopted.”

The Burma Campaign UK has published a detailed briefing on the UN General Assembly and Burma, available at: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/news-and-reports/burma-briefing/title/the-united-nations-general-assembly-burma

Burma Campaign groups from across Europe have this week written to their governments asking them to support the establishment of an Inquiry in the UN General Assembly resolution.

Burma's Economy Stalled under Junta, Cronies

RANGOON — Burma's military regime cannot improve the country's economy by favoring people who have close ties with the generals and who monopolize businesses, according to respected Burmese economist Dr U Myint.

“As long as the government and its cronies are controlling the country's economy we will face the same economic situation even in the year 3010,” U Myint said.

The economist raised criticism against the government's economic policy in a speech “The Role of the Private Sector in the Changing Political Economy beyond 2010,” during a seminar that was organized in Rangoon by the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) on Aug. 14.

U Myint was a lecturer and dean at the Institute of Economics and Institute of Education in Rangoon. He also served as the director of the economic section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later, he headed the research section at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. He is currently a member of the Myanmar Academy of Arts and Science.
Stressing the importance of the role of entrepreneurs in economics, U Myint said that Burmese businessmen have the abilities and skills to make profit, but he asked, “How are they going to change their intention to make the benefit of the public sector? How can they make the private sector stronger?”

This year, the regime has handed over numerous state-owned enterprises to businessmen close to the generals under the pretext of “privatization.”

However, U Myint said such transfers can lead to “pocketization” instead of privatization.
During the seminar, retired ambassador Hla Maung suggested that Burma should follow the economic reforms of Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China and Vietnam, which have transferred businesses to the private sectors focused on exports.

According to observers of the Burmese business community, domestic investors  hope that economic policies will be relaxed in the post-2010 election period, creating conditions conducive to proper investments.

“Everyone lives with hope,” said UMFCCI General-Secretary Dr. Maung Maung Lay.
Businessmen close to the regime include Tay Za, Zaw Zaw, Aung Ko Win and Nay Aung, who have received control of lucrative businesses in banking, air line, electric energy, construction and other areas.

An engineer close to IGE, a company owned by Nay Aung, the son of Aung Thaung, Minister for Industry No 1 who is protege of Burma's junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe, said businessmen who have acquired state-owned enterprises focus on their own profits rather than the national interest.
“They have to cut the trees when they see green forests. Otherwise, someone else will take it. That's  the only thought they have. Currently they are rushing into signing big projects, which they have been granted already, before the election takes place. No one knows what will happen after the election,” he said.

Pro-democracy Leaders in Burma Praise US decision

RANGOON — Burmese pro-democracy parties on Thursday praised the US decision to support a UN war crimes commission as a milestone but cautioned it was too soon to be optimistic.

"We support and welcome the decision by the United States. However, this is just the first step and several more steps have to be taken before it is actually implemented," said Tin Oo, vice chairman of Aung San Suu Kyi's recently disbanded opposition party, the National League for Democracy.

The United States said Wednesday it has decided to support the creation of a UN commission to look into alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma, also know as Myanmar.
The White House said in a statement that it believes the commission could advance the cause of human rights in Burma by "addressing issues of accountability for responsible senior members of the Burmese regime."

Tin Oo said he hoped such a commission would bring the junta to a dialogue table with the opposition, a long-standing demand of the international community.

"If the military government changed its mindset and talked to the country's democratic forces, all the country's woes will be resolved," said Tin Oo.

By supporting the UN inquiry, the Obama administration is committing itself to backing an investigation of the military junta led since 1992 by Snr-Gen Than Shwe.

Than Shwe's loyalists overturned election results in 1990 that favored Suu Kyi's political party. Suu Kyi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize the following year, remains under house arrest.
Burma is holding elections Nov. 7—the first in two decades—but critics say they are a sham designed to perpetuate the military's command. Suu Kyi's party is boycotting the elections and was disbanded after refusing to register for the polls.

The United States is almost certain to face opposition from China, a close ally of Burma, if it seeks to have the UN Security Council establish a commission. It could also ask Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon or go to the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council or the Geneva-based Human Rights Council where no country has a veto.

"We welcome the decision by the Obama administration and we regard the decision as a milestone," said Khin Maung Swe, leader of the National Democratic Force party, formed by renegade members of Suu Kyi's former party.

"But we have to wait and see how effective the decision will be as some countries with veto-wielding power can oppose at the Security Council," he said.

"All big nations have to help solve the problems of immense socio-economic disparity and abject poverty the country is facing in order to prevent human rights abuses in the country," Swe added.

US Consulting on Burmese Junta War Crimes

The US government said it is “consulting” with its international partners, as well as key global and regional players, on the subject of creating an international commission to investigate alleged war crimes by the Burmese military junta, the White House said on Wednesday.

“We have begun to consult with a broad array of stakeholders and key players, other countries, regional authorities, multilateral authorities, about how to reach this goal,” Benjamin Chang, the deputy spokesperson of the National Security Council told The Irrawaddy.

The White House official said that the US supports establishing an international commission of inquiry to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma as was previously called for by UN Special Rapporteur Tomás Quintana.

“The decision is actually consistent with the Obama administration’s policy of engagement,” he said. Last year US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a new Burma policy which included both simultaneous engagement and sanctions. So far, the US and Burma have had two rounds of talks, which have not yet yielded any notable results.

“Let me make clear that the diplomatic engagement is not a reward,” said Chang. “The goal has always been the same—to facilitate and encourage positive change. So at the same time we have been engaging in this new policy, we never precluded, we never ruled out, taking steps that would increase pressure when warranted.”

Observing that the policy framework remains the same, the White House official said the overriding objective is to promote a peaceful democratic process, encourage national reconciliation and respect for basic human rights.

“Over the last several months we have not seen encouraging signs as far as democracy and human rights [is concerned],” he said. “We will continue to urge progress on the diplomatic track. But we will also continue to work with the international community to press for change through targeted sanctions and scrutiny by international bodies such as the UN and Asean.”

The US Campaign for Burma, led by exiled activists, said that Australia, Britain, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have also voiced support for an inquiry.

It pledged to shift attention to persuading the European Union as a whole, as well as Canada and other countries, to offer support.

“We will call on New Zealand, Canada and some more European countries to support this,” said Bo Kyi, the joint-secretary of Thailand-based Assistance Association of Political Prisoners—Burma, an NGO which draws international attention to the numerous arbitrary arrests and torture cases inside Burma.

“Our immediate goal is to call for many more countries to support this commission and the real creation of a fair commission,” he said.

While there is little expectation that Burma's neighbors such as China will support this commission, Debbie Stothard, the coordinator of the Alternative Asean Network, said it is shameful that these countries have not taken any regard of the Burmese government's record of human rights abuses.

“It is far more logical for regional players like China and Asean to support the commission because they have been feeling the impact of Burma's human rights abuses,” she said.

Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the former UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, also voiced his support for the US decision to create a commission.

“I think that it is timely to propose this commission. I can't say it will work, [but] it is worthwhile trying,” he told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Pinheiro wrote in the New York Times in May that a commission would make the junta accountable for its crimes with a potential indictment by the International Criminal Court, and will address the widespread culture of impunity in Burma.

When asked about the Nov. 7 general election as announced by the junta last week, Chang said that under present circumstances it lacks international legitimacy. “I would think they will lack international legitimacy,” he said. “The regime has failed to include opposition parties or ethnic minorities in their consultations.”

The election laws released in March, by their nature precluded a level playing field for everyone. “There is a lot of work that the Burmese regime would need to take to create a credible electoral environment and, of course, have a real national dialogue,” Chang said.

U.S. Supports UN Investigation into Crimes Against Humanity in Burma

EU and Canada Must Join the U.S. at the Upcoming UN Meetings in September

Hello All

A major victory for human rights in Burma! After months of rigorous campaigning by USCB and Free Burma activists around the country, the Obama administration finally agreed to support the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma. This is a huge step forward and made headlines around the world. See the articles in the Washington Post and Foreign Policy.

We did it together and thank you very much for making the voices of the people of Burma heard by the White House.

However, we must continue to urge policy makers to transform their words to action. Big events are coming up at the UN. The 15th Session of UN Human Rights Council and the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly are only a month away. At these meetings, the United States must rally other countries to create UN Resolutions calling on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to set up a Commission of Inquiry with no further delay.

To make this happen, we need the support of Canada and the EU. So far, only three members of the EU: United Kingdom, Czech Republic and Slovakia, have expressed their support for the Commission. We need other members to end their silence. We know that the Canadian government is considering supporting the Commission.

A Commission of Inquiry in Burma won't happen without the support of the international community. With only a month away from UN meetings, we need you to contact the EU and Canadian Embassies/Delegations in DC and New York, by telephone, fax and email, urging these diplomats to publicly support the establishment of the UN Commission of Inquiry in Burma. Please see contact information and brief script below.

With one victory in the bag for Burma, let's work together to make another victory.

Aung Din, Jennifer, Mike and Nadi

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructions:

1) Dial one of the numbers below and ask to speak to the corresponding ambassador.

Hi, May I speak to Ambassador XXX, I would like to ask them to support a Commission of Inquiry into Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes in Burma.

Ambassador's Contacts

(1) H.E. Mr. Gary Doer, Ambassador of Canada to the United States of America
Tel.: (202) 682-1740
Office of the Ambassador, Fax: 202-682-7678

(2) H.E. Ambassador John McNee, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations
E-mail:canada@un.int or prmny@international.gc.ca
Telephone: (1) 212-848-1100
Fax: (1) 212-848-1195, -1192, -1128

(3) H. E. Mr. Pedro Serrano, Ambassador, Acting Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Tel. (212) 371 3804
Fax (212) 758 2718
Email: delegation-new-york@ec.europa.eu
Ms. Helen Beckman, Secretary to Head of Delegation, helen.beckman@ec.europa.eu


(4) H.E. Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, European Union Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to the United States
Telephone: (202) 862-9500; Fax: (202) 429-1766

2) It is likely that they will ask you to leave a message.

Hi Ambassador XXXX. As you may know, today the United States pledged its support for a UN-led Commission of Inquiry into crimes against humanity in Burma. This is a much needed step as the military regime in Burma has been brutally suppressing ethnic minorities and human rights defenders for more than four decades. Recently, the level of violence has been on the rise. Since 1996, the regime has burned down over 3,500 villages, and instances of rape and forced labor by the military are well documented. That is why I urge your country to join the United States, the United Kingdom, the Czeck Republic, Slovakia and Australia in calling for this important measure towards accountability and justice in Burma.

3) You may want to leave your number in case they would like to call you back.

If you have any further questions about why you should support a Commission of Inquiry in Burma, feel free to call me at XXXXX

4) Thank them for taking the message!

5) Email mikejen@uscampaignforburma.org to let us know how the call went.

Burmese Election Boycott Campaign Heats Up

Stickers bearing the portrait of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and urging people not to vote in the November election are appearing throughout Rangoon.

The stickers, bearing the message "It is our right to vote or not to vote in the 2010 election," are part of a boycott campaign launched by the activist movement Generation Wave. They are appearing in public places ranging from bus shelters to shopping centers.

Generation Wave launched the campaign on August 12 in various parts of Rangoon, including Dagon Myothit, Insein, Hlaing Tharyar, and Mingaladon Townships, and Bayint-Naung wholesale market, Yuzana Plaza and Dagon shopping centers.

The group's spokesman, Pyae Sone Win, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday: “The objective of our campaign is to give a message to people, especially the youth, that they have the right not to vote."
Generation Wave was formed by young activists, who secretly record and distribute anti-government music albums across Burma. It claims allegiance to no political party or movement, although its members have one thing in common, a deep respect for Suu Kyi.
The election laws prohibit Suu Kyi and more than 2,000 other political prisoners from participating in the election.

Suu Kyi has said the election is “absolutely unlikely” to be free and fair, and political parties will not have enough time to campaign.

In March, her National League for Democracy, decided not to register as a political party for the election, saying it would not be free and fair.

Some registered political parties are facing chicanery by the Election Commission (EC). One, the Democratic Party, has written to the EC complaining of official intimidation after the EC passed the list of the party's members to the police Special Branch. The Union Democratic Party chairman, Phyo Min Thein, has resigned, saying the election will not be free and fair.

Canada fears 'oppressive conditions' for Myanmar elections

OTTAWA — Canada has "serious concerns" that elections in Myanmar (Burma) later this year will be held under "oppressive conditions," Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Monday.

"While Canada welcomes the Burmese military regime's commitment to hold democratic elections, we have serious concerns that the elections will be held under oppressive conditions and that they will not be conducted in line with international standards," Cannon said in a statement.


"Canada calls on the regime to live up to its commitments to hold free and fair elections by unconditionally releasing all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, engaging in genuine dialogue with members of the democratic opposition and different ethnic groups within Burma, and enabling full democratic participation in the process."



 Suu Kyi, who has spent much of the past 20 years in detention and is seen as the biggest threat to the junta, is barred as a serving prisoner from standing.


Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won a landslide victory in 1990 but was never allowed to take office. It is boycotting the vote, saying the rules are unfair.

US, UN Respond to Burma’s Election Date

WASHINGTON—Following the announcement by the Burmese military regime that it will hold an election on November 7, the Obama Administration criticized the election process, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon restated his previous call for an inclusive, free and fair election and both demanded that all political prisoners be released.

“This election cannot be inclusive or credible under current circumstances,” US State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told The Irrawaddy. “We remain concerned about the lack of a level playing field and the oppressive political environment in Burma.”

“The regime also restricts the basic rights and freedoms of Burma’s people,” said Toner.

“We urge the authorities to release all political prisoners and to enter into genuine dialogue with all stakeholders as a first step towards national reconciliation,” Toner said in response to a question.

Ban Ki-moon on Friday urged the junta to immediately release all political prisoners so that they can freely participate in the political life of Burma.

“The Secretary-General reiterates his call on Myanmar’s [Burma’s] authorities to honor their publicly stated commitments to hold inclusive, free and fair elections in order to advance the prospects of peace, democracy and development for Myanmar,” his spokesman, Martin Nesirky, told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.

“As essential steps for any national reconciliation and democratic transition process, the Secretary-General strongly urges the authorities to ensure that fundamental freedoms are upheld for all citizens of Myanmar and to release all remaining political prisoners without delay so that they can freely participate in the political life of their country,” Nesirky said.

Responding to a question on voting in the elections, the spokesperson said Ban Ki-moon has been a leading voice in expressing the UN’s and the international community’s concerns, expectations and encouragements around the election process, including the need for Burmese authorities to take steps to ensure that the country’s first elections in 20 years are credible and inclusive.

“He has also been very clear that the UN respects the decisions of all parties with regards to the election,” the spokesman said.

Nesirky said the UN secretary-general and his special advisor remain closely engaged with the Burmese authorities. “But they do feel that this process requires more cooperation from Myanmar and all concerned,” he said, adding that the secretary-general will be able to elaborate further on the UN position when he reports to the UN General Assembly.

Meanwhile, a senior US Republican lawmaker called the junta’ election a “mockery” of the democratic process.

“Although the Burmese junta will characterize the charade it announced today as an election––an exercise that only the junta considers meaningful––November 7, 2010 will be just another day in Burma, marked by continued government oppression and hardship for its people,” said Senator Mitch McConnell.

“I urge President Obama to renew his support for Aung San Suu Kyi and pro-democracy forces within Burma and work to ensure that elements of the international community are not tempted to recognize this mockery of the democratic process,” he said.

"As the United States and the United Nations fail to exercise effective pressure on the regime, the generals in Burma are now confident that the international community can't and won't do anything beyond issuing statements to stop their crimes against humanity and plan to build a permanent military dictatorship in the country,” said Aung Din of the US Campaign for Burma.

“That's why they are now moving forward to hold the sham election. Even if they can't stop the regime's plot and atrocities, at least the US and the UN should denounce and reject the regime's election," Aung Din told The Irrawaddy.

India's Shameful Burma Ploy

Detailed Story, please read HERE

For better or worse, countries will often sacrifice their principles at the altar of geopolitics. It’s a fact no more evident lately than with India, which appears to be disregarding the muzzling of democracy in eastern neighbour Burma (Myanmar) to cosy up to the ruling military junta there.

Just a few years ago, India would’ve made an issue out of the illegal detention of popularly elected National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for long stretches over the past 20 years. In early 2008, for example, an Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed that Burma had been advised that there was now a greater urgency for political reform and that this process ‘had to be broad-based to include all sections of society including Aung San Suu Kyi.’
But just two years later, such pressure appears to have been abandoned as the world’s largest democracy forgets its place and deepens its relationship with the junta.

The dynamics of this new relationship were on full display during the visit of Burmese leader Gen. Than Shwe, who was in India late last month and met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. During Than Shwe’s visit, the two leaders issued a joint statement and announced a number of deals, including five accords on counter-terrorism co-operation and soft loans from India that included $60 million for a road construction project and about $10 million for machinery purchases.

Such agreements are ostensibly aimed at winning over the regime in a nation that Freedom House found this year to be among the nine least free countries in the world. Indeed, last year the organisation specifically called on India to exert pressure over Suu Kyi’s trial—in which she was accused of breaking the terms of her house arrest—with Executive Director Jennifer Windsor arguing that:
‘As the world's largest democracy and a regional leader, India has an obligation to defend Suu Kyi and at least attempt to influence the actions of Burma’s ruling junta.’

Myanmar junta sets election date of Nov. 7

Detail Store; please read HERE

 

AP – Myanmar men read state-run newspapers at a stall in Yangon, Myanmar Thursday, Aug. 12, 2010. Myanmar's …

 

YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar's first election in two decades will be held Nov. 7, the ruling junta announced Friday, finally setting a date for long-awaited polls that critics have dismissed as a sham designed to cement military rule.

The brief announcement by the Election Commission was carried on state TV and radio.
"Multiparty general elections for the country's parliament will be held on Sunday Nov. 7," said the announcement, which called on political parties to submit candidate lists between Aug. 16 and Aug. 30.
Ahead of the polls, the ruling military junta has passed many laws and rules criticized as undemocratic and unfair by detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the international community.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy is boycotting the election. The party was officially disbanded in May because it refused to register.

Suu Kyi's party won a landslide majority in the 1990 election, but the junta refused to honor the results.The new election laws effectively bar Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi and other political prisoners — estimated at more than 2,000 — from taking part in the elections.

Tight rules for campaigning bar parties from chanting, marching or saying anything at rallies that could tarnish the country's image.

Renegade members of Suu Kyi's disbanded party have formed a new group, the National Democratic Force, to carry the party's mantle in the vote. Suu Kyi has expressed dissatisfaction through her lawyer with the formation of the new breakaway party.

UN Secretary General Frustrated at Burmese Regime's Intransigence

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed “frustration” at the Burmese regime's failure to respond to his efforts to engage the Naypyidaw government.

“My special adviser [Tomas Ojea Quintana] and I are deploying every effort to continue to engage with the authorities,” Ban Ki-moon told a  press conference at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.

“I have been very clear in expressing our concerns and expectations regarding the political process, including the planned elections this year.

“It is a source of frustration, however, that Myanmar has been unresponsive so far to these efforts. A lack of cooperation at this critical moment represents nothing less than a lost opportunity for Myanmar.”

Ban Ki-moon spoke as news broke that the Burmese regime has denied a visa to permit Quintana to make a fourth visit to Burma. The news was carried by Inter Press Service.

It is believed that the regime's treatment of Quintana may be a response to his call for a commission of inquiry into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Burmese regime. Quintana made the call in a report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva in March.

The United Nations has tried to engage with the Burmese generals since 1992 through the efforts of Ban Ki-moon and his special envoy, in UN General Assembly resolutions and at the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

However, no tangible positive result has yet resulted from the efforts to secure the release of political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and to ensure a free, fair and inclusive general election.

Quiet ceremonies mark Burmese's bloody 22nd anniversary

YANGON, Myanmar — Subdued religious ceremonies by activists and pro-democracy politicians marked the anniversary Sunday of the 1988 uprising that was brutally crushed by Myanmar's military.

More than 1 million people rose up Aug. 8 that year to protest an entrenched military-backed regime headed by Gen. Ne Win that had wiped out the savings of many by a sudden demonetization of the currency.

An estimated 3,000 people were killed before the demonstrations were crushed in September. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's detained pro-democracy leader, rose to prominence during the uprising.
"We are holding this religious ceremony in memory of those who had sacrificed their lives during the protest and in honor of those who are in prison for their beliefs and for those who had taken part in the nationwide protests 22 years ago," said Tint Hsan, a former student activist who organized the event.
The ceremony in an eastern suburb was attended by politicians and many activists, including some Buddhist monks recently freed from prison.

Yangon's streets were quiet and residents went about their normal Sunday routines, with some having forgotten the anniversary date. Others gave food to Buddhist monks to mark the protests.
Student activists from the '88 generation managed to make their voices heard again in 2007 in an uprising led by Buddhist monks, which was also put down violently by the military. Many of them were given prison sentences of 65 years.

"I don't want people to go out on the streets and get killed or imprisoned again. We believe that we can bring about a change of government through elections," said Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein, general secretary of the newly registered Democratic Party.

The ruling junta has called for the first polls in two decades to be held later this year, though no date has yet been set. Critics have dismissed the election as a sham designed to cement nearly 50 years of military rule in Myanmar, also known as Burma.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party is boycotting the polls because of what it calls unfair and undemocratic election laws. It was disbanded in May because it refused to register.

The league swept elections in 1990 but was not allowed to take power. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been held under house arrest by the military government for about 14 of the past 20 years.

The legacy of Burma's Generation 88

Subject: [badamember] The Guardian: The legacy of Burma's Generation 88
To: "badamember" , "8888laorganizers" <8888laorganizers@yahoogroups.com>

Dear All,

Tomorrow is the 22nd anniversary of 8888 people's uprising in Burma!!!

Below is a touching commentary from the daughter of an 88 generation student leader who is serving 65 year imprisonment in Burma. This list - composed by Burma Partnership is - of many student leaders and activists serving such lengthy sentences as long as 104 years: http://www.burmapar tnership. org/wp-content/ uploads/2010/ 07/List-of- Human-Rights- Violations. xls

From 8888 towards Free Burma!!!

Nyunt Than

------------ ---

Please read this posting online: http://www.guardian .co.uk/commentis free/2010/ aug/07/burma- 1988-anniversary -generation- 88

The legacy of Burma's Generation 88

Tomorrow marks 22 years since the peaceful pro-democracy movement in Burma began. I hope William Hague remembers

• 
• • Waihnin Pwint Thon
  • guardian.co. uk, Saturday 7 August 2010 12.00 BST
  • Article history

"Don't worry, don't worry daughter, everything will be fine, change is coming soon."

"Don't worry, don't worry daughter, everything will be fine, change is coming soon."

Tomorrow is an important day. William Hague, the UK's foreign secretary, may not be aware of the date's significance, but August 8 should be etched into his memory, as it is mine.

Tomorrow is my father's day. When I was very young, I was taught that my daddy was a man in a photograph, and later I was shown he was the man in the prison, where we visited him and where I touched his fingers through iron bars and pretended that the armed guards surrounded him to protect him. Now I know him to be a hero of Burma, and my greatest inspiration.

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the start of a peaceful protest movement in Burma, protests that would end in ongoing tragedy, bloodshed and decades of global inaction. On 8 August 1988, my father,Ko Mya Aye, led thousands of students on to the streets of Rangoon as part of a wave of a million people, who gathered to peacefully protest against the ruling military junta. The protests were put down by the most brutal means, and organisers such as my father were beaten, tortured and jailed.

These protests were repeated in 2007 by defiant individuals who desired democracy so fiercely that they were prepared to risk their liberty and lives a second time. Individuals such as my father who, as part of the iconic Generation 88 students group he co-founded, again helped orchestrate mass protests on the very same streets of Rangoon, this time as part of the so-called "saffron revolution".

Both times the events offered hope to the long-suffering people of my homeland. Both would end with the Burmese authorities ruthlessly quashing dissent. By the end of the summer of 1988, more than 3,000 peaceful protestors had been killed.

In 1988, my father was arrested and given an eight-year jail sentence. In 2007, his sentence was 65 years. Without a regime change, I will never see him again.

Sadly, the human rights situation in Burma remains as grim now as it has ever been. It is illegal for more than five people to gather together to talk about politics, the internet and the media are severely restricted, torture is routine and there are currently 2,200 political prisoners.

Yet countries such as India and China continue to cosy up to the Burmese authorities in an attempt to tap into Burma's natural resources. British politicians have been at the vanguard of calling for change, but they need to go the extra mile. William Hague needs to build a global consensus that exposes Burma's human rights violations – especially now, with elections planned for the end of the year. And that means working hard to persuade the likes of India and China to change their tune. After all, they ultimately risk shooting themselves in the foot: Burma's military junta cannot go on for ever, and any new government is unlikely to forget who helped prop the junta up. My father will not, and nor will I.

I left Burma in 2006 to study at university. From the moment I arrived in the UK, I talked to various media outlets about my father and his activities. It did not go unnoticed back home. The Burmese authorities went to my parent's home and questioned my father about me, and it was then that my father told me it was not safe to come back. He said he did not want to lose his daughter.

I applied for asylum in the UK in April 2007. Just a few months later, the saffron protests started.

I remember speaking to my father over the phone on August 21. I told him how proud of him I was to see such big demonstrations and the international attention they were receiving, and I begged him to be careful. He said, "Don't worry, don't worry daughter, everything will be fine, change is coming soon." He was full of hope.

He was arrested later that night. Despite our concerns for his safety, we expected him to get sentenced to 20 years at the most. Sixty-five years is a death sentence.

I am 21 now and my father remains my biggest inspiration. As long as I am in the UK, I can be his words. I just want to make sure the politicians are listening.

Burma Delegation Delivers 1,600 Letters to British Prime Minister

1,600 Call On Prime Minister David Cameron to Take the Lead on Burma

Staff and volunteers at Burma Campaign UK today deliver 1,657 letters to 10 Downing Street, residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron.

The letters, from supporters of Burma Campaign UK, ask the Prime Minister to take the lead in pushing for strong and effective international action on Burma.

The hand-in comes four days before 22nd anniversary the 1988 democracy uprising in Burma, when thousands of pro-democracy protestors were killed by the dictatorship.

The letters request the Prime Minister to continue to prioritise Burma, and to take the lead on four key issues:

• Build support for a global consensus for a UN arms embargo against Burma.

• Persuade EU partners to support UN Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.

• Work to build international support for a UN led process persuading the dictatorship to enter into genuine dialogue with Burma’s democracy movement and ethnic groups.

• Maintain planned increases of aid to Burma, and increase cross-border humanitarian aid for internally displaced people.

“David Cameron has already shown that he sees Burma as a priority,” said Mary Hla, Campaigns Officer at Burma Campaign UK. ‘We hope he will take the lead in building support for practical steps. When he goes to the UN General Assembly in September he has the opportunity to push for them to establish a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.”

“While the international community focuses on fake elections hoping for change that won’t happen, the human rights situation in Burma is getting worse,” said Seng Pan, Campaigner at Burma Campaign UK. ‘The British government is one of the few not to fall for the regime’s election lies. Now we hope the Prime Minister will take the next step in pushing for the international community to unite behind a UN-led initiative to get the dictatorship into dialogue with the democracy movement and ethnic representatives. This dialogue will bring change, not fake elections.”

For more information contact Mary Hla or Seng Pan 020 7324 4710

In these pictures:
Zoya Phan, Seng Pan, Mary Hla, Than Than Soe and Jackie San.

Copyright © James Mackay / enigmaimages.net

UN ‘working behind the scenes’ on Burma

The UN has been forced to defend its record on Burma in recent days with the fallout from a leaked memo that slated Ban Ki-moon’s impact on the pariah state showing no signs of easing.

The now-infamous 50-page report, written by Inga-Britt Ahlenius and leaked to the Washington Post in mid-July, said that the UN secretariat is in a “process of decay” after three years of “absence of strategic guidance and leadership” under Ban.

The comments were a parting shot from Ahlenius, who recently finished her post as chief of the UN’s anti-corruption agency, the Office of Internal Oversight (UNOIOS).

“We seem to be seen less and less as a relevant partner in the resolution of world problems,” she said, questioning the UN’s “capacity to protect civilians in conflict and distress…What relevance do we have in disarmament, in Myanmar [Burma], Darfur, Afghanistan, Cyprus, G20…?”

The secretary general used one of his first speeches as UN chief in January 2007 to urge for the release of Burma’s political prisoners, but since his last, and widely criticised, visit to Burma in June last year, he has barely mentioned the country in public.

Moreover, the UN is yet to appoint a successor to Ibrahim Gambari, the equally maligned UN special envoy to Burma who was reassigned to Sudan in late 2009. In January this year it defended the hiatus on reappointing an envoy by claiming that UN Chief of Staff Vijay Nambiar was temporarily filling the role.

But it has again been forced to defend accusations in the wake of the leaked report that it has been lax on pressuring the Burmese junta to reform. One reporter asked Ban’s spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, on 23 July whether the UN had indeed accomplished anything on Burma, which is heading towards widely-criticised elections this year.

“We continue to work, as I also said to you before; the good offices [team] is not one individual, if you like, it’s people working behind the scenes,” he said. “Not everything that happens is in the public eye…Sometimes you see those results quickly, sometimes it takes longer. Certainly we’ve been very public about the need for credible elections in Myanmar.

Nambiar also responded to the Ahlenius report by saying that Ban’s work as secretary general had been “visionary” and that he had balanced his UN role with “providing truly global leadership.”

But critics have argued that his method of dealing in “soft power” has reinforced the growing influence of China within the UN, at a time when Western nations are in a face-off over China’s support for the Burmese junta. Ahlenius said that Ban was “spineless and charmless” and was “struggling to show leadership”, an accusation that has apparently rattled his office.

Oppose Sham Elections in Burma

Take Action to Oppose Burma's Sham Elections

Check Out Our New Video Homepage!

Oppose Sham Elections in Burma

We need your help launching a campaign against the military regime's sham elections!

Burma's military regime is planning to hold a sham election before the end of 2010 to attempt to legitimize military rule and silence the voices of those who want to bring true democracy to the country.

On August 8th the people of Burma will celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the pro-democracy popular uprising which brought Aung San Suu Kyi to the national spotlight and forced the Junta to hold elections in 1990 leading to the decisive victory of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. That is why we have chosen this week as the launch date of our campaign against the regime's elections that Aung San Suu Kyi and democracy forced decided to boycott.

Before even a single vote is cast, Dictator Than Shwe has ensured the outcome, military rule. In 2008, the regime drafted a new constitution, that guarantees the military will not be controlled by the new 'elected' government, but rather the military will become a new so-called 'civilian government'.

Democracy is about making your voice heard and making it count, the people of Burma will not have that option in the military regime's sham elections, which bars Aung San Suu Kyi from participating. We need to be a voice for the voiceless.

Learn more about what is wrong with the election?

What you can do:

Record a video message to President Obama and/or UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon asking them to denounce Burma's sham elections and promote dialogue between the military regime, Aung San Suu Kyi, and ethnic groups! Suggested action below.

In Solidarity,

Aung Din, Jen, Nadi and Mike


Directions:

You will need: a video recording devise, yourself, and a location

First: Review a few of the videos USCB has provided on our website to get some ideas for your own!

Second: Read the script USCB has provided you, below, and make any modifications that you would like.

• Say who you are and where you are from. Hi, my name is ( ), and I am from (city), (state).
• Say why you are involved. I care for the people of Burma and I am trying my best to help them in their non-violent struggle for freedom and democracy. The beautiful country of Burma has been under successive military dictatorships for more than four decades and has been conducting crimes against humanity with a system of impunity.
• Tell them why you are speaking out: Now, the regime is seeking to legitimize it's military rule through sham elections. The people of Burma denounce this sham election and leaders of Burma's democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi, call for the international community to not recognize the election. I support them, I agree with them, and I am now calling for President Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to denounce this sham election.
• Tell them NO!!! to Sham Election, YES!!! to Dialogue, MORE PRESSURE REQUIRED.
  

Third: Record yourself reading the script.

Fourth: Upload the video, titled "Oppose Burma's Sham Election", onto YouTube. When you are done, send a copy of the link to our Development Assistant, Nadi at nadi@uscampaignforburma.org. We will then add your video to the list of videos made by other supporters.