-- The people of Burma, including ethnic communities, support the demonstrations and are calling for real change. Ethnic communities in Burma have lived with the Burmese military’s regime’s brutal tactics for the past 45 years and understand the frustration, pain and suffering that the demonstrators and their families feel. They offer solidarity and call for peace, freedom and justice for everyone in Burma.
Link to Ethnic Oppression:
--Burma is the world's third largest source of refugees after Iraq and Afghanistan. If the killing and violence continues, there will be a mass exodus of people to neighbouring countries.
--The SPDC is continuing to carry out military attacks targeting
civilians. Nearly one village everyday for the past decade has been
destroyed by the Burmese army in eastern Burma.
-- More than half a million men, women and children in eastern Burma
have been forced from their homes by the SPDC. The Burmese army
continues to search for villagers who are hiding in the jungle. Parents
have to stop their children from laughing and crying incase the noise
attracts the soldiers attention.
-- The health situation in Burma rivals that of the world’s worst
disaster zones. One in five children in eastern Burma will die before
their fifth birthday.
-- 25,000 villagers in northern Karen State face imminent starvation.
They have been unable to harvest or plant rice for nearly three years
because of the SPDC's ongoing military offensive.
Call for Action:
International communities - continue and increase pressure on the SPDC
to stop all violence throughout Burma, release all political prisoners
and enter into tripartite dialogue with the National League for
Democracy and ethnic leaders.
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The people of Burma are calling out for real change after 45 years of
severe and brutal oppression by the ruling military junta. Throughout
the past 45 years thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of lives
have been lost – all valuable and irreplaceable. One urgent action is
needed now!
Observation
While these current protests have occurred in reaction to the increase
of fuel prices on August 15th, 2007, they have been manifesting within
the population for years. The issues are complex with people from all
ethic groups within Burma, who have been severely oppressed by the
SPDC, supporting the protests and calling out for genuine change.
Background
On September 24th 2007, after seven consecutive days of Buddhist monks
demonstrating, the largest protest in Burma since 1988 occurred in
Rangoon. Over 100,000 people from all walks of life led by a reported
20,000 monks took to the streets peacefully demanding a reduction in
fuel prices, the release of all political prisoners and for true
dialogue. Throughout the protests the international community called on
the military for restraint however the SPDC reacted violently. Police
and soldiers fired warning shots above the crowd, and then shot
protestors and observers. It is reported that at least 10 people have
died in the violence. Hundreds of monks and demonstrators have been
beaten, with one monk dying from head injuries sustained from being
beaten with a baton. Similar scenes are occurring on a smaller scale in
most states and divisions across the country.
More information about the monk’s demonstrations and the fuel price
hikes is available on the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma website
(www.altsean.org).
Action
The international community, especially China, India and ASEAN, must
continue and increase pressure on the SPDC to stop all violence
throughout Burma, release all political prisoners and to enter into
tripartite dialogue with the National League for Democracy and ethnic
leaders.
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