Aung San Suu Kyi and her remarkable effort to bring democracy to Burma have reached a critical juncture. Right now, literally thousands of monks and peaceful activists are being held as political prisoners by the Burmese military regime. These courageous activists are being detained in horrific prisons and some have even been forced into lice-infested kennels used for military dogs.1 Their only crime: calling for military leaders to return their government to democratic rule by the Burmese people. Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who won Burma's last real democratic election in 1992, has been the face and voice of this movement. And despite the threat of being returned to detention — where she's spent the last 15 years of her life — Suu Kyi is calling on the military regime to free her people. But she needs unprecedented international support for her demands to be heard by the generals leading Burma's Army. Suu Kyi's call for the release of political prisoners has prompted disturbing threats from Myanmar's military dictatorship. Through its government-controlled media outlets, the regime has warned Suu Kyi not to overstep the mark, saying she would meet a "tragic end."2 Now activists in Burma are calling for our help. It took incredible international pressure to help release Aung San Suu Kyi earlier this year, and it will take an even greater international movement to free the estimated 2,200 political prisoners that are suffering in filthy and inhumane confinement. Gordon Brown, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, recently made contact with Suu Kyi and relayed this plea to the international community: "This week I spoke to Aung San Suu Kyi after, for the third time in a year, the junta refused me permission to visit her in Burma. She impressed on me the need for mass mobilization to demand the release of all Burma's political prisoners...She has been liberated by our solidarity — and she asks that we now apply the same pressure on behalf of the silenced thousands who remain in detention."3 Earlier this year, the release of Aung San Suu Kyi gave hope to the people of Burma and demonstrated the power of targeted international pressure — power derived from activists like you. Please stand with her now as we peacefully appeal for a true democracy in Burma. Thank you for standing with the people of Burma. Mark Anthony Dingbaum, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets 1. "Burma: prisoners kept in 'dog cages' after protests," amnesty.org.uk, 06-03-2011. 2. "Myanmar's Suu Kyi to plans first trip since release," Reuters, 06-30-2011. 3. "Release the Political Prisoners of Burma," Huffington Post, 06-09-2011. |
NORTON META TAG
14 July 2011
Stand with Aung San Suu Kyi and the movement for democracy in Burma. 14JUL11
TAKING part in these actions does have an affect on the governments targeted. Knowing people, organizations and other governments are watching does change their policies though it may take some time. And the oppressed know when people are acting on their behalf, Amnesty International and other rights organizations have testimony from political prisoners stating so and how it gave them hope and helped them survive. So please consider signing this petition and sharing with others.
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