"No More Guns for Gas"

26 March 2007 will be the fourth Global Day of Action against the Shwe
Gas Project in Burma. On that day, we hope that many activists in about
20 countries around the world will stand up for human rights and
environmental protection by protesting the Shwe Gas Project in Burma,
targeting Daewoo International and the Government of India's military
support to the regime in Burma. Human rights and environmental
activists will gather at local South Korean Embassies, Daewoo
International Offices, and/OR Indian Embassies. We will bring with us
toy guns and in a unified, non-violent, symbolic gesture, we will lay
down our guns and ask Korea and India to do the same.

I believe there will be activists at both Indian and Korean Embassies. While you are welcome to go the location most convenient for you, students from the American, University of Maryland, (may be/hopefully, I haven't heard from them yet) George Washington will all be at the Korean Embassy. I encourage all to join and stand up for human rights and the voiceless people of Burma.
chasingfreedom,
~myat

Students' White Campaign

Hi,

I don't really have much thing to share today. You might also hear about some more arrest and release during these days in Burma. Last week, Veteran politician U Win Naing and Ko Htin Kyaw who led the demonstration in Rangoon a few weeks ago were arrested after holding a press conference criticizing poor living condition in Burma. However, the regime released them on Wednesday. Another well-known 88 generation student, Ko Pan Tate was also taken and questioned by the authority on March 10. The military regime is really scared of people movement inside Burma. Despite these arrest and intensive oppression, the 88 generation students started another white campaign this Sunday. It is to encourage the family members of political prisoners. Every Sunday, 88 generation students will go to the family members of the political prisoners to encourage the families and show their support. I really admire those people inside Burma who are fighting very bravely against the brutal regime.
Beside my sharing, I would like to request all of you to mention your name at the end of the post, so that we know who is sharing the information.

xxxKhin

If I won't see them again...

My dear friend,

I am standing here for your people.

In the jungle, there were old men who enjoyed talking with us.
I am afraid I won’t see them again.

In the jungle, there were some women who were ready to feed us.
I am afraid I won’t see them again.

In the jungle, there were children playing around us.
I am afraid I won’t see them again.

I don’t want to lose them.
UN Security Council, please save them …please

I am begging you.
Winmay ( In front of Myanmar Embassy in DC - 2006)

Religion, Politics, Friends, and everything else in between

So many things to share..... Where should I begin?
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Today, I had a chance to talk with a very good friend from my previous university. It was such a blessing to have the opportunity to share with him about the topic that is near to my heart, which is Burma. I am going to send him a documentary video recorded by Free Burma Rangers, so that he will be able to host a showing for the students at Andrews University.

When I was at Andrews, I worked with a law professor and a political science professor on starting a human rights related student organization. Since Andrews was a religious institution, I wanted to start a Religious Liberty Chapter. That would allow me to share with them about human rights issues around the world, especially in Burma. Writing the proposal and drafting the club's constitution was as far as I got. I felt very discouraged and disappointed because my peers showed no interest at all in what I was doing. I tried to collect signatures for a petition, and people politely listened to what I had to say and they politely refused to sign the petition. I didn't understand what was going on in their minds. So I concluded that Christians were only concerned with saving souls and that saving lives was secondary. I was dead wrong.

I learned that students at Andrews are currently very involved with human rights and activism. Perhaps I was not the right person and I was not there at the right time to introduce the issues such as international politics, human rights, freedom, and liberty. I felt so content to be asked to send resources so that the club there can grow, be more aware of what's going on in Burma, and take actions.
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Global Day of Prayer for Burma
Sunday, March 11, 2007

I will be fasting and praying for Burma. Please join me. Burma needs freedom. Burma needs democracy. I believe Burma needs prayers and God's divine intervention.
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My heroes

Our friends from the American University left today for Thailand. They are my inspiration because they choose to be a part of a movement that needs them. They have no obligations yet they take part and they do it with so much passion. They are my heroes. May God be with each one of you. Have a safe trip.
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I'll stop here for this time.

Chasingfreedom,
~myat

BBC Series on life in Burma and on the border

BBC Correspondent Kate McGeown has recently done a lengthy series on life both within Burma and in the border town of Mae Sot. Her first article in the series described what life is like in Mae Sot for the Burmese population, including references to the Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association and the surrounding refugee camps. I found this series so fascinating, having been to Mae Sot and seen some of the things she wrote about. The second article focused on the Karen National Liberation Army and the struggle that the Karen people have faced against the Burmese military.

The article that touched me the most was the third article McGeown wrote, which focused on Dr. Cynthia's clinic in Mae Sot. After visiting the clinic and seeing the patients and facilities first hand, there is something so strange about seeing it on the BBC website. I think it's wonderful that Dr. Cynthia's work is being recognized and present on the international stage. When I talked to my friends and family about how emotionally-impactful the trip to the clinic had been, I know that I caught their hearts. But I think reading about the clinic in a news article presents such an important side of the picture as well, by telling the stories of the patients being treated there. For example, I remember that many of the men making prosthetic limbs had lost legs themselves. Reading this article, I get to hear their stories that at the time I could only imagine.

"No Dam... Dam is Damn"

While we were demonstrating in front of Thai Embassy, I remembered a day I took a trip along Salween River. Under a bright sunshine, I was looking at beautiful scenery, touching and breathing fresh air that came through the river and taking pictures of flying birds above the river. Looking at both sides of the river, I noticed the different green colors of the forests in the two lands. On Thai side, as a replacement of the past complete deforestation, there were many young bright green trees artificially planted due to the plan of Thailand Queen’s soil and environmental protection program. On Burma side, the dark green trees, those were quite aging and naturally grown, made me having more affection to the nature and what Burma is.

Suddenly, one of my friends told me to stop taking pictures because our boat was approaching to the area where Burma dictator’s troops were stationing. We disguised as traders to hide the military group who were looking at us through the binoculars. I was encouraging myself that we were safe from their attack because we were traveling in the area of Thai territory. However, no one could certainly tell you that you would not be shot if they, the Burma brutal army, found out that you were from the opposition group. I saw a golden temple near their tents but not any fence. By using the temple as their firing ground, I felt bitterly that they were abusing Buddhism which never supports wars and violence.

Fortunately, we passed their area quietly without any problem. Half an hour later, a cluster of tents on the shore of Burma loomed. I thought there was one more troop of the regime’s army. Then, I saw a man in partial army uniform on the shore holding a gun in his one hand signalled us to stop our boat. We went within reach of him. He got on the boat and talked to the operator that he wanted to go to a place which was on the same direction we were heading. We did not talk to him as we kept ourselves pretending we were villagers or traders. Then, I found he had a peacock figure engraved pendant on his neck, and realized he was one of the ABSDF( All Burma Students' Democratic Front) soldiers.

Minutes after we dropped him, I saw a group of people with two or three boats crossing the river from Burma to Thailand. On their boads, there were several big plastic bages filled with unknown stuff inside. I supposed they were traders. Our boat paused on the shore of Burma for 15 minutes. Meantime, I took some pictures of Karen soldiers who did not respond me with smiles. I felt it was very unusual throughout I did not get warm response when I greeted the villagers in their language that I knew a few words.

Almost a half hour after we departed that place, my friend told me that the village we just visited was burnt down on ground by the regime's soldiers as a strategic plan for building a dam on the Salween river. As soon as I got to know these awful atrocities, I felt shocked and the beautiful scenery I enjoyed along the way disappeared suddenly. I did not have any idea about the recent skirmish and the soldiers' vicious attack until my friend told me. I did not realize when I was in their village because I did not understand what they were talking and nobody explained/translated to me.

I, after all, felt strangely that no one seemed very much frightened of the battle even if they knew it was coming. They are no longer crying not because they have no fear but because they have no tear left.

Then.. I again shouted “ No Dam … Dam is Damn”

Winmay

Yesterday's protest against the Salween Dam

Hi everyone!!

My name's Leslie, and I'm a first year grad student at American University. After traveling to the Thai-Burma border this past winter break, I've become very passionate about the Burmese people and the struggle for democracy in Burma. There is a great deal one can read online or in books, but visiting face-to-face with groups along the border that are working toward their country's freedom is so inspirational.

Yesterday, a bunch of us went to protest the construction and funding by the Thai government of the Salween Dam. Here are just a few reasons why the Salween is destructive to the environment and the people of Burma, courtesy of Earthrights International:

--Civil War is raging in the area around the dam sites and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced at gunpoint
--Dams are being used as a military strategy against the ethnic peoples of Burma
--Torture, rape, and killings of villagers are continuing as more soldiers are being deployed and more landmines laid
--Dams will provide financial support to the military junta
--Massive corruption is inevitable given the complete lack of transparency
--The dams will permanently degrade Southeast Asia's longest free flowing river's fisheries, floodplains, teak forests and wildlife habitats, and flood villages and fertile agricultural land

They should be uploading pictures of the protest yesterday onto their page soon, but for now you can check out protests from around the world at Salween Watch. I'll be blogging every Wednesday in the future, and posting events sponsored by American University's Student Campaign for Burma.

In peace,
Leslie