Why you should help to free Burma
(By 88 Generation Students in Exile)
SAVE BURMA NOW!
JOIN 88 GENERATION STUDENTS
IN EXILE TO FREE BURMA
1. The democratically elected government of Burma was removed from power by a military coup on March 2, 1962. A military dictatorship was established and the Burmese people lost all forms of political and social freedom.
2. It was students who first spoke out against the military dictatorship. On July 7th 1962, Rangoon University students protested against the military rule and more than 100 peaceful protesters were brutally shot and killed. The next day the Student Union building was dynamited and blown up while some student leaders were holding a meeting inside. The fact that the government took these extreme measures indicates that students and intellectuals are seen as enemies of the state because students can criticize the government and educate the people about right and wrong.
3. The military regime drew up its own constitution in 1974 which created a one party system. They set up a Burmese Socialist Program Party with the coup leader General Ne Win as the party boss. Under the new constitution, General Ne Win became President Ne Win.
4. A workers’ strike in June 1974 was crushed, resulting in16 dead. The worker leaders were sentenced to 12 years to life in prison.
5. A students’ strike occurred six months later, on December 5th, 1974. More than 100,000 students and others demonstrated for 4 days in the Rangoon Arts and Science University compound, demanding establishment of independent student organizations and an appropriate burial site for the late UN Secretary General U Thant. After four days, the government captured more than 3000 protestors and activists and ended the demonstration.
6. Another student strike occurred in June 1975 with demands for freedom and formation of independent student unions. Many students were rounded up and sentenced to six years to life.
7. The student leader Tin Mg Oo, who led strikes in 1974 and 1975, was captured on March 25, 1976. The next day students marched and demonstrated against the regime, it was known as Hmine Strike. Many students were captured including Tin Mg Oo’s younger sister, brother and parents.
8. Tin Mg Oo, who was just a sophomore at Rangoon Arts and Science University majoring in zoology, received the death sentence for leading the demonstrations. His sister and brother. who were high school students at that time, got 9 and 6 year prison terms. His parents got 5 year prison terms for being his parents. Within three months Tin Mg Oo was secretly hung in the notorious “Insein Prison”; he was 23 years old at the time of the execution. The government never admitted to the hanging and refused to account for his death.
9. In March 1988, engineering students from Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT) quarreled with the local party boss’ son. The quarrel became a student demonstration inside the RIT compound. Riot guards shot and killed six students in the university compound; Burmese citizens were stunned.
10. On March 18, students and others marched in Rangoon to protest the shootings. Their way was blocked by security forces, and more than 500 demonstrators, including 12-year-old children, were arrested and crowded into prison vans like sardines. When the vans arrived at the prisons, 40 people were found dead of suffocation.
11. On August 8, 1988 nationwide demonstrations broke out across Burma. Millions joined the demonstrations and demanded freedom and democracy. These protests were named after the date: The four eights movement (8.8.88). The demonstrations lasted one and a half months, after which the army stepped in and killed at least 3000 unarmed demonstrators, including high school students.
12. The army called an election for May 27, 1990 and allowed the formation of political parties after 26 years of misrule.
13. On May 27, 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won the election with 82% of the parliamentary seats, but the regime refused to hand over power, arguing that the country had no appropriate constitution.
14. It took 15 years, from 1993 to 2008, to draw up a new constitution. Politicians and intellectuals hand picked by the government spent 15 years drawing up a new constitution, which favored civilian rule dominated by the military. The NLD party walked out of the meetings because there was no freedom of discussion.
15. On May 30th 2003, Aung San Suu Kyi was taking a trip to upper Burma when her group was ambushed in Depeyin Township by government sponsored thugs who brutally killed more than 100 of her followers. This became known as the Depeyin Massacre. Aung San Suu Kyi luckily escaped being murdered. Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest and some of her followers who were injured were thrown into prison. No attackers were ever arrested or punished but the victims were severely punished.
16. Min Ko Naing, Min Zeyar, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe were the leaders of four eights movements. Their groups were known as 88 Generation Students in Burma for their successful protest against the regime in 1988. The Generation leaders are captured in 1989-1990. After 15 years serving in prison for peaceful protest, they were released in 2004 and 2005 separately. On November 2008, Thirteen 88 Generation Students leaders were recaptured and sentenced to 65 years prison terms with hard labor for protesting the higher gas and consumer prices. All 88 generation Students’ were sent to far away remote areas from their families.
17. In September, 2007, more than 150,000 Buddhist monks made a peaceful march to chant for peace in Burma and demand the lower consumer prices for the people. Later 100,000 people joined to shield the monks. Many monks and activists were brutally beaten by troops and sent into prisons. It was known as Saffron Revolution. The Leader monk U Gambira was sentenced to 65 years with hard labor and was forced to disrobe as a monk.
18. The deadly cyclone Nargis made landfall in Burma on May 2, 2008, killing 138,000 people and destroying villages and towns throughout the delta region. Instead of helping its own citizens, the regime blocked international aid for the surviving 500,000 victims. US and French military ships were positioned offshore, ready to help, but the regime turned them away because they feared losing political power. Consequently, many people died because they could not receive help and medicine.
19. The regime ignored the disaster, pushed for a referendum for its new 2008 constitution, and announced that 93% of the people had approved it.
20. The new constitution gave the military 25% of the parliamentary seats without a vote. The military chief of staff became the Defense Minister. The Defense Minister has the right to take over political power if he feels there is a threat to the nation. The military became independent from the government. The National Security Council has 11 members, and 6 are from the military. In addition, the constitution states that the President must have military experience, which bars civilians from becoming President.
21. For 55 million people, only four newspapers circulate in Burma. Newspapers are owned by the government, which uses them as propaganda tools to brainwash people. Television and radio stations are also run by the government.
22. Opposition political parties are allowed to form but are not allowed to organize people. Potential opposition party leaders are currently serving long prison terms. Ethnic cleansing, rape as a weapon against women, forced labor, forced relocation, and forced recruiting of child soldiers are still happening today in Burma.
23. The nuclear ambition of the Burmese generals emerged in July 2009. The generals are seeking nuclear technology from Russia and North Korea. Their target date for producing a nuclear bomb is 2025. This is a threat not only to the region but to the entire globe.
These are 23 reasons that Burmese people need your help to free Burma.
88 Generation Students (Exile)
Direct link for more information:
Tel: 607-339-6054
630-456-6517
Email:hagyaw@gmail.com
generation.8888@yahoo.com
Web: http://88gse.blogspot.com
Mail: 141 west hazel St
West Chicago IL 60185
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