We, the people of Burma have been striving for peace, justice, equality, democracy and the full realization of our human rights for decades. To be able to achieve these goals, all individuals who pursue ways towards freedom and democracy have suffered under the harsh and oppressive regime of the ruling military junta. Burma’s 2,100 political prisoners represent this enormous democratic struggle. This is the result of the ruling military-dominated government cracking down on all political activists at every turn in an attempt to deny the existence of their political conscience to the international community.
Why we campaign for the release of all political prisoners in Burma?
As we all believe that a genuine, inclusive process of national reconciliation is the only means to make progress towards peace and democracy, the release of all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally will be the most crucial step towards democratic transition of our country. Those serving time in the prisons include the 88 Generation Students leaders, monk leaders, ethnic leaders, NLD members, Human Rights activists, journalists and blogger activists; people who have strived to attain peace and freedom for our country and still continue to do so, by sacrificing their own freedom. Their knowledge, guidance and wisdom will be invaluable if we are to lay the foundations for building a strong democracy. As long as these activists remain in prisons or continued to be arrested for voicing their political dissidence, we, the people in Burma will still be far from the genuine process of democratization.
The aims of our campaign
- The immediate and unconditional release of all the remaining political prisoners under a genuine amnesty
- The declaration of a nationwide ceasefire and solving the ethnic issues, with a peaceful, inclusive political dialogue by the goverment
- The inclusion of all these prominent political leaders in the genuine national reconciliation process
- List of 471 confirmed political prisoners whose whereabouts are verified.
List of 465 confirmed political prisoners whose whereabouts are currently under verification.
Given below is the letter we sent to the British Foreign Secretary William Hague to welcome his recent visit to Burma.
We appreciate his great effort to continue constructive engagement with the Burmese Thein Sein goverment. We kindly requested him to use this moment of opportunity to assess the ground realities, to put more pressure on the Burmese government to take actions towards significant, substantial and long-lasting political changes. These includes the immediate release of all political prisoners, declaring a nationwide ceasefire and engaging in a inclusive and meaningful dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ethnic leaders and 88 Generation Students leaders who are serving long term prison terms till today.
Given below are the political campaign activities we had organised and conducted with the aim of calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Burma.
Since the release of all political prisoners is the very first crucial step for the national reconciliation, we, students and youth in UK are committed in our determination to work for the release of all political prisoners by organising and actively participating in various political activities and campaigns, one of which is the '24 hours Hunger Strike' which was conducted from 12:00pm on 21st August 2011 to 12:00pm on 22nd August 2011. Along with our members, the NLD-LA (UK) youth members and other student activists took part in this 24 hours Hunger Strike. On 21st August, our 88 Generation Students leaders including Ko Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Ko Mya Aye , Min Zeya, Ko Jimmy, Ko Pyone Cho, Arnt Bwe Kyaw, Ma Mie Mie, Ma Nilar Thein, Nobel Aye and many other leaders were arrested following a peaceful protest at the Saffron revolution in 2007.
The leaflet for the 24 hours Hunger Strike were distributed to the public to raise awareness of the current situation in Burma and to get better involvement in poltiical campaign activities, working together towards the freedom of our country.
We also organised a demonstartion against the Burma’s parliament which convenced in Burma in January 2011. People who are stuggling for demoncracy dismissed Burma’s parliament because it is nothing more than “the military dressed in civilian clothing” because since 80% of the seats in parliament are tied to the military and its allies.
Click here for more info (https://picasaweb.google.com/burmesestudent.uk/AgainstNewParliament)
We, 88 NGS (UK) , organised a stand protest in front of the Trafalgar square to call for the UK government to help release our democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from under house arrest and for the release of all political prisoners in Burma on 13 November 2010.
Click here for more info (https://picasaweb.google.com/112721297856436879394/WeStandWithAungSanSuuKyi)
We, 88 NGS (UK) , organised a stand protest in front of the Trafalgar square to call for the UK government to help release our democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from under house arrest and for the release of all political prisoners in Burma on 13 November 2010.
Click here for more info (https://picasaweb.google.com/112721297856436879394/WeStandWithAungSanSuuKyi)
We, 88 NGS (UK), organised and staged a two day marching protest against the 07/11/2010, unilateral illegitimate junta’s election in Burma. This protest was conducted on 06/11/2010 and the members of our organisation and supporters, marched from Trafalgar square to the Burmese Junta Embassy, in the city of London. We then made a stand outside the House of Parliament and called on the United Nations and the UK government not to recognize the sham election in Burma, to put more international pressure to help release our democratic leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from under house arrest and for the release of all political prisoners in Burma. Burmese Democratic Concern and other pro-democratic organisations showed solidarity and actively joined in the marching protest.
Click here for more info (http://www.demotix.com/news/499391/burmese-protest-juntas-fake-elections)
Click here for more info ( marching protest to condemn the sham 2010 election in Burma on 06/11/2010)
Click here for more info ( marching protest to condemn the sham 2010 election in Burma on 07/11/2010)
Click here for more info ( marching protest to condemn the sham 2010 election in Burma on 06/11/2010)
Click here for more info ( marching protest to condemn the sham 2010 election in Burma on 07/11/2010)
