Showing posts with label Press Release. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Press Release. Show all posts
Monday, April 7, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
What you can do to hlep Burma on April 9 in San Francisco? Please sign up!
Sing up for April 9th actions:
http://www.badasf.org/2008/event-sign-up.htm
Sign petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stand-by-the-people-of-burma---no-olympics-torch
Make donations:
www.badasf.org
Dear All,
The eyes of the world will be on the streets of San Francisco when the Beijing Olympic Torch arrives on April 9 – the only visit to North America. Chinese government really wants to make the street of San Francisco looks like the Streets of Beijing -- filled only with cheering crowds. But, we are working with many groups to highlight China's irresponsibly causing and committing Human Rights abuses around the world (Visit ExposeBeijing. org).
As much as Olympic is precious to all of us, we must not let Chinese government hide its atrocious image under the cover of Olympic -- prolong brutal dictatorship and causing continued great pain and suffering to 50 millions people in Burma due to China's great military, economic and diplomatic support to the dictators to exploit Burma's oil and gas, her market, and her roads to India Ocean for its military; in short --- China's gain, Burma's pain.
Please do something on April 9 to give voice to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her 50 millions people. It will be the great and rare opportunity to expose Burma and her cause at the world stage again -- after last year protests in Burma.
Why Burma needs you to come out on April 9:
1. Chinese government is pressuring the San Francisco Mayor really hard that he is behaving like China's representative rather than our Mayor. He previously stated that we can not protest along the torch route, but only at the staged free-speech zones -- major insult to the city and the people in the area.
2. Due to great local push back, he is now backing off, but he still scares us that the protesters will be outnumbered 1 to 10 by the cheering crowd. Given that large Chinese Community lives in San Francisco that is not an overstatement at all.
3. We have also learned that other communities are rallying their supporters and thousands are coming to San Francisco from all over the United States on April 9 to highlight their causes.
4. As for Burma, the events in Rangoon has already passed six months, and much of our emotion has died down and therefore it does not look like very many of us will be on the streets for her that day -- at least not yet unless each and every one of us steps up.
5. The reality is that nothing has changed in Burma, and we must not forget her. We must restore our feeling, emotion, and outrage that we had on or around September 24, 25, 26 of 2007 during the saffron events in Burma. Let's fill the streets with Burma supporters on April 9. Therefore we need you to come out on April 9 for Burma.
What you can do:
Please motivate people around you. Tell them to give April 9 to Burma and do something. Forward this message; call or speak in person and explain why he or she should do something. Outreach to Collagues, high schools, religious schools, churches, monasteries, community groups and centers. Any little effort counts.
Sing up for actions here: http://www.badasf. org/2008/ event-sign- up.htm to attend, participate, help organized the Burma related actions on April 9. Make sure, you check back this page for updated actions as the city has not released the torch route.
Make signs and hold them along the torch routes; State any messages that you are comfortable with: Free Burma; Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; China's Gain, Burma's Pain; China's Policies, Burma's Misery; Burma's Blood on China's Hands; Free Burma, Shame on China; No Genocide Torch; Boycott Olympic; And make sure to put images that highlight the suffering of our people.
We are flying an air plane to tow a "Free Burma" billboard. Other groups have put up billboards in the city and also flying like us and they are even relaying their torches around the world in parallel with Beijing torch. But we will do what we can for Burma even though the flight will cost us nearly $ 3000 for 3 hours. We are also making signs, banners, posters, scarfs, buttons, cloths and many items. So the cost is exceeding our resources and need your help.
To help us, please donate here online at www.badasf.org. Also solicit donations from your neighborhood stores, shops and groups. Your donation will be used only for all April 9 Burma related actions. Any amount counts.
Attend Civil Disobedience training on Saturday April 5 at 12pm-3pm prompt time! at Amnesty International Office; 1663 Mission Street Suite 694 (near corner of Van Ness); San Francisco; exit Civic Center Bart Station; Please RSVP to Margaret Howe at margaret@bpf. org or 707-360-8452.
Also attend the ACLU's training to be held at the same Amnesty International Office on April 7th at 12 noon. Please RSVP Anil at anilverma7@gmail.com or Call (510)485-3751.(Space is limited)
http://www.badasf.org/2008/event-sign-up.htm
Sign petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stand-by-the-people-of-burma---no-olympics-torch
Make donations:
www.badasf.org
Dear All,
The eyes of the world will be on the streets of San Francisco when the Beijing Olympic Torch arrives on April 9 – the only visit to North America. Chinese government really wants to make the street of San Francisco looks like the Streets of Beijing -- filled only with cheering crowds. But, we are working with many groups to highlight China's irresponsibly causing and committing Human Rights abuses around the world (Visit ExposeBeijing. org).
As much as Olympic is precious to all of us, we must not let Chinese government hide its atrocious image under the cover of Olympic -- prolong brutal dictatorship and causing continued great pain and suffering to 50 millions people in Burma due to China's great military, economic and diplomatic support to the dictators to exploit Burma's oil and gas, her market, and her roads to India Ocean for its military; in short --- China's gain, Burma's pain.
Please do something on April 9 to give voice to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her 50 millions people. It will be the great and rare opportunity to expose Burma and her cause at the world stage again -- after last year protests in Burma.
Why Burma needs you to come out on April 9:
1. Chinese government is pressuring the San Francisco Mayor really hard that he is behaving like China's representative rather than our Mayor. He previously stated that we can not protest along the torch route, but only at the staged free-speech zones -- major insult to the city and the people in the area.
2. Due to great local push back, he is now backing off, but he still scares us that the protesters will be outnumbered 1 to 10 by the cheering crowd. Given that large Chinese Community lives in San Francisco that is not an overstatement at all.
3. We have also learned that other communities are rallying their supporters and thousands are coming to San Francisco from all over the United States on April 9 to highlight their causes.
4. As for Burma, the events in Rangoon has already passed six months, and much of our emotion has died down and therefore it does not look like very many of us will be on the streets for her that day -- at least not yet unless each and every one of us steps up.
5. The reality is that nothing has changed in Burma, and we must not forget her. We must restore our feeling, emotion, and outrage that we had on or around September 24, 25, 26 of 2007 during the saffron events in Burma. Let's fill the streets with Burma supporters on April 9. Therefore we need you to come out on April 9 for Burma.
What you can do:
Please motivate people around you. Tell them to give April 9 to Burma and do something. Forward this message; call or speak in person and explain why he or she should do something. Outreach to Collagues, high schools, religious schools, churches, monasteries, community groups and centers. Any little effort counts.
Sing up for actions here: http://www.badasf. org/2008/ event-sign- up.htm to attend, participate, help organized the Burma related actions on April 9. Make sure, you check back this page for updated actions as the city has not released the torch route.
Make signs and hold them along the torch routes; State any messages that you are comfortable with: Free Burma; Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; China's Gain, Burma's Pain; China's Policies, Burma's Misery; Burma's Blood on China's Hands; Free Burma, Shame on China; No Genocide Torch; Boycott Olympic; And make sure to put images that highlight the suffering of our people.
We are flying an air plane to tow a "Free Burma" billboard. Other groups have put up billboards in the city and also flying like us and they are even relaying their torches around the world in parallel with Beijing torch. But we will do what we can for Burma even though the flight will cost us nearly $ 3000 for 3 hours. We are also making signs, banners, posters, scarfs, buttons, cloths and many items. So the cost is exceeding our resources and need your help.
To help us, please donate here online at www.badasf.org. Also solicit donations from your neighborhood stores, shops and groups. Your donation will be used only for all April 9 Burma related actions. Any amount counts.
Attend Civil Disobedience training on Saturday April 5 at 12pm-3pm prompt time! at Amnesty International Office; 1663 Mission Street Suite 694 (near corner of Van Ness); San Francisco; exit Civic Center Bart Station; Please RSVP to Margaret Howe at margaret@bpf. org or 707-360-8452.
Also attend the ACLU's training to be held at the same Amnesty International Office on April 7th at 12 noon. Please RSVP Anil at anilverma7@gmail.com or Call (510)485-3751.(Space is limited)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Pelosi Statement on 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing
Press ReleaseFor Immediate Release
03/28/2008
Washington, D.C.
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing:
"The Olympic Charter states that the Olympics should seek to foster 'respect for universal and fundamental ethical principles.' Sadly, the Chinese government has not lived up to its commitments to improve the human rights situation in China and Tibet . I believe the International Olympic Committee made a mistake in awarding the 2008 Summer games to China , and I sponsored a Congressional resolution expressing that view at the time.
“However, I believe a boycott of the Beijing Olympics would unfairly harm our athletes who have worked so hard to prepare for the competition.
"The Olympics should provide for more opportunity for free expression, not less. When the Olympic torch passes through San Francisco next month, I support the rights of individuals and groups to make their views known about the actions of the Chinese government.
"As I said in India last week where I met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, if freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China 's oppression in Tibet , we have lost our moral authority to speak out on behalf of human rights anywhere in the world."
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
USCB Announcement over Burma Junta's New Constitution
United States Campaign for Burma (Burma)
Press Release
February 11 2008
United States Campaign for Burma (USCB) released a press release today condemning Burma's military junta for their announcement to legalize the new constitution. This new constitution is a ploy to formally legalize the military's hold on power. Some may see the military's announcement for a referendum and then elections as progress, but it is actually a gross step backwards.
"The promised vote continues the military regime's process of consolidating its grip on power. It is not a real referendum, it is a charade," said Aung Din, executive director of the US Campaign for Burma.
The announcement by the regime comes one week after the leader of Burma's democracy movement, imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, said that democracy activists should "prepare for the worst." The regime's move also comes four months after a massive crackdown on Buddhist monks, student activists, and members of Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy.
"How can the regime hold a vote when the entire opposition is locked up behind bars?" added Aung Din, who was imprisoned for four years as a political activist in Burma.
Burma's regime also announced it would hold a multi-party election in 2010 to follow this year's planned referendum. The new constitution would grant supreme power to the commander in chief of the Burmese military, effectively forestalling any progress toward democracy. The underground coalition of Buddhist monks and students that organized nationwide demonstrations in September 2007 have already criticized the plan, calling it an effort to legalize military rule and sideline the legitimately elected leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. The NLD won 82% of the seats in parliament in Burma's last election, a landslide victory that the regime has blocked from governing. Human rights activists see the upcoming votes as a way for the regime to erase the NLD's electoral victory while cementing its own grip on power.
The referendum process stands in stark contrast to a call by the United Nations Security Council on October 11th, 2007 for the regime to participate in meaningful negotiations with Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD and the ethnic representatives. Additionally, 29 consecutive resolutions by the United Nations General Assembly, Commission on Human Rights, and Human Rights Council have called for "tri-partite" talks between the regime, NLD, and Burma's ethnic minorities. Instead of heeding the UN, the regime appears to be taking a one-sided approach and refusing to participate in genuine talks.
Observers expect the military will mobilize the "Union Solidarity and Development Association" and "Swan Arr Shin" to force the people to vote for its constitution. The two organizations have led brutal attacks on Aung San Suu Kyi, members of the NLD, and Buddhist monks that have left hundreds of activists dead and thousands imprisoned.
Burma's regime is among the worlds most brutal. The regime has locked up over 2,000 political prisoners including hundreds of students, Buddhist monks, and the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi. The regime has also recruited up to 70,000 child soldiers, more than any other country in the world, and destroyed 3,200 villages in eastern Burma, forcing 1.5 million people to flee their homes as refugees.
Press Release
February 11 2008
United States Campaign for Burma (USCB) released a press release today condemning Burma's military junta for their announcement to legalize the new constitution. This new constitution is a ploy to formally legalize the military's hold on power. Some may see the military's announcement for a referendum and then elections as progress, but it is actually a gross step backwards.
"The promised vote continues the military regime's process of consolidating its grip on power. It is not a real referendum, it is a charade," said Aung Din, executive director of the US Campaign for Burma.
The announcement by the regime comes one week after the leader of Burma's democracy movement, imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, said that democracy activists should "prepare for the worst." The regime's move also comes four months after a massive crackdown on Buddhist monks, student activists, and members of Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy.
"How can the regime hold a vote when the entire opposition is locked up behind bars?" added Aung Din, who was imprisoned for four years as a political activist in Burma.
Burma's regime also announced it would hold a multi-party election in 2010 to follow this year's planned referendum. The new constitution would grant supreme power to the commander in chief of the Burmese military, effectively forestalling any progress toward democracy. The underground coalition of Buddhist monks and students that organized nationwide demonstrations in September 2007 have already criticized the plan, calling it an effort to legalize military rule and sideline the legitimately elected leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. The NLD won 82% of the seats in parliament in Burma's last election, a landslide victory that the regime has blocked from governing. Human rights activists see the upcoming votes as a way for the regime to erase the NLD's electoral victory while cementing its own grip on power.
The referendum process stands in stark contrast to a call by the United Nations Security Council on October 11th, 2007 for the regime to participate in meaningful negotiations with Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD and the ethnic representatives. Additionally, 29 consecutive resolutions by the United Nations General Assembly, Commission on Human Rights, and Human Rights Council have called for "tri-partite" talks between the regime, NLD, and Burma's ethnic minorities. Instead of heeding the UN, the regime appears to be taking a one-sided approach and refusing to participate in genuine talks.
Observers expect the military will mobilize the "Union Solidarity and Development Association" and "Swan Arr Shin" to force the people to vote for its constitution. The two organizations have led brutal attacks on Aung San Suu Kyi, members of the NLD, and Buddhist monks that have left hundreds of activists dead and thousands imprisoned.
Burma's regime is among the worlds most brutal. The regime has locked up over 2,000 political prisoners including hundreds of students, Buddhist monks, and the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi. The regime has also recruited up to 70,000 child soldiers, more than any other country in the world, and destroyed 3,200 villages in eastern Burma, forcing 1.5 million people to flee their homes as refugees.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
NCGUB Rejects ‘So-called State Constitution’ , Military Proposed Referendum
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)
Press Release
February 10, 2008
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The headlong decision by the military regime to hold a national referendum in May is a knee-jerk reaction to the growing problems the Burmese generals are facing.
The regime, as the Burmese would say, is “a mad man surrounded by fire” and since it is plagued by economic woes, increasing international pressure, and widening public discontent at home, it has impulsively decided to convene a national referendum to overcome the problems.
In fact, the so-called state constitution, which the people are supposed to endorse at the national convention, is yet to be seen by public until now. But, judging from reports carried by the state-run press during different sessions of the military-organized National Convention which compiled the so-called “objectives” and “principles” to be taken into consideration during the drafting process, the new constitution will do nothing for democracy and will merely legitimize the current rule of the Burmese generals.
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The NCGUB believes that it is imperative for the international community to oppose the military-sponsored constitution and the regime’s referendum plan. It must continue to strive to bring about an inclusive process which will determine the political future of the country and which also include all political parties, including the National League for Democracy and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and other ethnic nationality forces.
It is also time for the international community to give through the UN Security Council a stronger mandate to the UN Secretary-General’ s Office and enable it to play an effective mediatory role in bringing about an equitable solution to the political deadlock in Burma.
Press Release
February 10, 2008
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The headlong decision by the military regime to hold a national referendum in May is a knee-jerk reaction to the growing problems the Burmese generals are facing.
The regime, as the Burmese would say, is “a mad man surrounded by fire” and since it is plagued by economic woes, increasing international pressure, and widening public discontent at home, it has impulsively decided to convene a national referendum to overcome the problems.
In fact, the so-called state constitution, which the people are supposed to endorse at the national convention, is yet to be seen by public until now. But, judging from reports carried by the state-run press during different sessions of the military-organized National Convention which compiled the so-called “objectives” and “principles” to be taken into consideration during the drafting process, the new constitution will do nothing for democracy and will merely legitimize the current rule of the Burmese generals.
Dr Sein Win, prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said, “We do not endorse the state constitution in its present form and the people will never ratify it. But, the Burmese generals are probably already taking steps to ensure that they get the results they want from the referendum”.
The NCGUB believes that it is imperative for the international community to oppose the military-sponsored constitution and the regime’s referendum plan. It must continue to strive to bring about an inclusive process which will determine the political future of the country and which also include all political parties, including the National League for Democracy and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, and other ethnic nationality forces.
It is also time for the international community to give through the UN Security Council a stronger mandate to the UN Secretary-General’ s Office and enable it to play an effective mediatory role in bringing about an equitable solution to the political deadlock in Burma.
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