Non-Food Post:Putting a face to the people of Burma

Burma is in the news again with the recent protest march by the Monks against the ruling Junta. I am not a very politically "loud" person but I went to Burma on a biking trip in 2004 and I cannot help but feel frustrated and angry at the condition that millions of innocent Burmese have to live with. Burma currently called Myanmar is ruled by a Military regime even though the people of Burma voted for a democratic party - NLD lead by house-arrested leader - Aung San Suu Kyi.

I want to share a "call for help" for a local NW Action group that I am part of. Some of the items listed in this email are very simple for all of us to do, sign an online petition, send an email to the UN representative, etc. Please read and if you are willing follow the instructions below to lend your support to the millions of innocent citizens of Burma.

From: Burma Action Group
Subject: Burma - please help now

Dear friends,

As you no doubt have seen, Burma is making world headlines because of the courageous protests of hundreds of thousands of monks and civilians in at least 26 cities in Burma over the past few weeks. These are the biggest protests against the abuses of the authoritarian regime in two decades.

For those of us who care deeply about Burma, these are exhilarating times, but terrifying too. The military junta has threatened to take action if protests continue, and reports from inside Burma already indicate that the military is getting ready to begin attacks on peaceful protesters.

I only use this email list to announce the monthly meetings of the Seattle Burma Roundtable. Please forgive me for sending this emergency email today. If there was ever a time to move on Burma, it is now, so thanks for your indulgence.

From the sidelines, the best that we can do is to keep the momentum of this movement alive. There is a real chance for change in Burma, but we need to keep the pressure on. I know Burma might not be your issue, but today, please make it yours. There are several easy things you can do. If possible, do them right away.

First, there are several online actions you can take. Here are three:
-The US Campaign for Burma is asking people to collectively gather 88,000 signatures from around the world, calling on Chinese President Hu Jintao to compel Burma towards valid national reconciliation. Sign the petition by going to: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/uscampaignforburma/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=730&t=HomePage.dwt

-You can also email the EU President to strengthen the EU position on Burma, at http://burmacampaign.org.uk/eu_action.html

-You can send an email to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at inquiries@un.org, urging him coordinate a strong response to Burmese repression at the UN Security Council, and reminding him that waiting, as the UN did in Darfur and Rwanda, could cost untold suffering.

Second, you can follow the news online. News agencies track the stories that get the most coverage, and by reading about Burma online, you increase the chances that the story will continue to receive international attention. The BBC has good coverage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ , as does The Irrawaddy, a local source on the Thai-Burmese border: http://www.irrawaddy.org/

Third, you can donate money to advocacy campaigns. I am personally a board member of the US Campaign for Burma (http://www.uscampaignforburma.org/) . A similar organization across the pond is The Burma Campaign UK ( http://burmacampaign.org.uk/) . Many other European and Asian countries have their own organizations; if you'd like help locating the one closest to you, just let me know.

For Peace and Justice,
Larry Dohrs


Here are some pictures of people and beautiful scenes from my 2004 Biking trip:
Village children being entertained by our bike guide en route to Myittha

Village senior at local market near Pindaya. Lots of hats..
Mr. Cheung, our local burmese guide posing en route to Pindaya.
Buddhist monks on their way to daily alms in Bagan
College girls who befriended me at the temple ruins of Bagan

"Snack Man", a really friendly and cute snack delivery man that we encountered on our country roads. We shared no words but a few smiles.

Views from Inle Lake
Temples of Bagan
My husband and I at Shwedagon Temple Complex in Rangoon/Yangon.

When we traveled to Burma we made sure to use a company that tried to hire and stay in non-government run establishments as much as possible. We even stayed in a monastery on our way from Mandalay to Bagan as there were no tourist class hotels in these non-tourist towns and being able to interact with small town vendors, monks, village kids while riding through these towns in bikes made a huge difference in our travel experience. I can't wait for our kids to grow up a bit so we can take them to countries like Burma and get to know the country, their history and recognize that our travels to such countries gives us knowledge and empathy for the local people and their struggles.

EDITED October 5th: Additional resources from my Burma Action Group, ways to help:

• *** The US Campaign for Burma is asking people to collectively gather 88,000 signatures from around the world, calling on Chinese President Hu Jintao to compel Burma towards valid national reconciliation. Sign the petition by going to:
  http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/uscampaignforburma/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=730&t=HomePage.dwt
• *** You can also email the EU President to strengthen the EU position on Burma, at http://burmacampaign.org.uk/eu_action.html
• *** You can send an email to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at inquiries@un.org, urging him coordinate a strong response to Burmese repression at the UN Security Council, and reminding him that waiting, as the UN did in Darfur and Rwanda, could cost untold suffering.
• *** Go to http://earthrights.org/ and sign petition to Chevron CEO calling for Chevron to use its influence to halt violence. Chevron is a partner with the junta is largest foreign investment in Burma.
• *** MoveOn.org has a petition to sign, with an opportunity to add comments, to Chinese President Hu Jintao and the UN Security Council. Go to http://pol.moveon.org/burma/
• *** Amnesty International has an action on Burma, go to http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/c.jhKPIXPCIoE/b.2590179/k.C43E/Take_Action Online/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&aid=9315&tr=y&auid=3037967
• For news, Google news has tons. See also www.uscampaignforburma.org, www.irrawaddy.org and www.mizzima.com.
  
• Eyewitness report:
  http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3007115.ece
  
• Commentary by author Pascal Khoo-Thwe
  http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/article3007092.ece
  Also, photos and stories of the point blank killing of a Japanese journalist, which has deeply shocked Japanese public:
  http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23414112-details/The+last+moments+of+photographer+gunned+down+by+Burmese+troops+as+nine+die/article.do
  http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23414112-details/The+last+moments+of$