FBPPN-March13-09

Embed Doc
Copy Link
Readcast
Collections

CommentGo Back

Download

FREE BURMA’S POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW!

Sign the Petition at www.fbppn.net Tell your friends to sign the petition888,888 Signatures for Burma

Press Release

Embargoed until 01.00am Thailand time Friday 13 March

Bangkok, Thailand (13 March 2009)A global signature campaign for the release of Burma’s political prisoners has been launchedtoday, on Burma’s Human Rights Day. The campaign aims to collect 888,888 signaturesbefore 24 May 2009, the legal date that Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyishould be released from house arrest. Over 150 Burma exile and solidarity groups areparticipating in the campaign. Events and activities will take place around the world,including in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, London, Dublin, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Manila, Seoul,Jakarta, Sydney, and Tokyo.The petition calls on the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make it his personal priorityto secure the release of all political prisoners in Burma, as the essential first step towardsnational reconciliation and democratization in the country. The target symbolises 8.8.88, theday the junta massacred some 3,000 people who courageously protested in Burma’s largestdemocracy uprising.On 3 December 2008, 112 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from 50 countries sent aletter to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urging him to press for the release of allpolitical prisoners in Burma by the end of 2008. 241 legislators from all over Asia also sent apublic letter to the UN Secretary-General on 5 December conveying the same message. Over2,100 political prisoners remain in Burma’s jails.Tate Naing, a former political prisoner and secretary of the Assistance Association forPolitical Prisoners (Burma), said, “Political prisoners are not criminals. They have simplystood up for freedom and democracy. Without the release of all political prisoners, there canbe no peace and stability in our country. But we need the UN Secretary General to step in andshow strong leadership on this issue. With this signature campaign, we want to show Ban Ki-moon just how many people around the world care about this issue.”The global signature campaign will run from 13 March to 24 May. To sign the petition, visitwww.fbppn.net -ENDS-For media interviews, please contact:Soe Aung, Forum for Democracy in Burma: +66(0)818399816Dr Naing Aung, Forum for Democracy in Burma: +66(0)818837230Tate Naing, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma): +66(0)812878751

FREE BURMA’S POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW!

Sign the Petition at www.fbppn.net Tell your friends to sign the petition888,888 Signatures for Burma

Notes to editors:1.

Launch events: for further information please visitwww.fbppn.netand click on theGoogle map

City Date, Local Time & Location EventBangkok

13 March, 10.30am Foreign Correspondents Club13 March, 6pm Bangkok Arts and Culture CentrePress conferencePublic performance

Chiang Mai

13 March, 10am, Chiang Mai UniversityInternational CentrePress conference

Tokyo

13 March, 2pm Shibuya and Gotanda Public demonstrations

New Delhi

13 March, 9am, Burmese Community RecreationCenter, Bodella, VikaspuriBurma Human RightsDay Celebration

Manila

13 March, 10.30am Philippines Department of Foreign AffairsPublic rally

Seoul

15 March, 11am Burma’s SPDC embassy15 March, 2pm, Myoung DownDemonstration & pressconferenceSignature collection

Jakarta

13 March, 2pm Human Rights Working GroupofficePress conference

London

13 March, 1pm, Burma’s SPDC embassy Public demonstration

Dublin

14 March, 12pm Grafton Street Signature collection

FREE BURMA’S POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW!

Sign the Petition at www.fbppn.net Tell your friends to sign the petition888,888 Signatures for Burma

2.

The campaign is led by theAssistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma)andForum for Democracy in Burma. The following organizations have endorsed thecampaign:

Exiled Burma groups

ETHNIC NATIONALITIES COUNCIL

•

Arakan National Council (comprised of all Arakanese political parties and civil societyorganizations.)

•

Chin National Council (comprised of all Chin political parties and civil societyorganizations.)

•

Kachin National Organization (comprised of all Kachin political parties and civil societyorganizations)

•

Karen State Coordinating Body (including Karen National Union and all Karen civilsociety organizations.)

•

Karenni State Coordinating Body (including Karenni National Progressive Party and allKarenni civil society organizations.)

•

Mon State Coordinating Body (comprised of all Mon political parties and civil societyorganizations)

•

Shan State Representative Council (comprised of all ethnic nationalities’ organizations inShan State)

•

NATIONALITIES YOUTH FORUM

•

All Arakan Student and Youth Congress (AASYC)

•

All Kachin Student and Youth Union (AKSYU)

•

Kayan New Generation Youths (KNGY)

•

Palaung Youth Network Group (PYNG)

•

Pa-O Youth Organization (PYO)

•

Karen Youth Organization (KYO)

•

Karenni Students Union (KSU)

•

Chin Students Union (CSU)

•

Karenni National Youth Organization (KNYO)

•

Arakan Youth Network Group (AYNG)

•

Mon Unity League (MUL)

•

United Lahu Youth Organization (ULYO)

•

Zomi Student and Youth Organization (ZSYO)

STUDENT AND YOUTH CONGRESS OF BURMA

•

All Arakan Student and Youth Congress (AASYC)

•

All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)

•

All Burma Students’ League (ABSL)

•

All Kachin Student and Youth Union (AKSYU)

•

Arakan League for Democracy- Liberated Area (Youth) (ALD-LA Youth)

of 00

Leave a Comment