WFDY - World Federation of Democratic Youth

Fédération Mondiale de la Jeunesse Démocratique

Federación Mundial de la Juventud Democrática

International NGO with consultative status with UN (ECOSOC) and operational relation with UNESCOPeace Messenger award by UN Secretary General in 1987

Address:

1139 Budapest XIII, Frangepán U. 16

–

Hungary

Tel/Fax:

+ 361 350 22 02 / 350 12 04

E-Mail:

wfdy@wfdy.org

ERVICE OF

OUTH AND

HEIR

IGHTS

INCE

1945

ISIT US AT WWW

WFDY

ORG

WFDY STATEMENT ON 22

ANNIVERSARY OF 8888 UPRISING IN BURMA

The day of 1988. 8. 8 coupled with four 8 is very glorious and significant for democraticmovement in Burma with a vanguard role of students and youths, and joined later by workers,monks, famers and civilian against the army rule in Burma. This student driven movement has

left golden leafs in the history of world youth and student’s movement.

It is great to know thatpeople of Burma are commemorating the 22

anniversary of the day.The student movement was broke out from university with dissatisfaction of students to losemoney due to crazy decision to dispose the notes not devisable by number 9 which was luckynumber of Junta ruler Ne Win by superstition. The irony is that the student movementheightened and broke-out in august 8, 1988 that Burmese fighter of democratic rights alwaysproud with this lucky number 8888. This gave them hope that they can fight against militaryruler for justice, peace and democracy.In this movement more than 150000 people took part in the demonstration all over the country.The street of Rangun was full of people with all walks of life chanting slogan for democracy.The universities were converted into places of peaceful resistance. They were resisting anddemanding justice for the death of their comrades. They chanted their slogan and they read theirpoems of their aspirations. This peaceful course could not go on and it was cracked down. Thehuge demonstration was suppressed in the street leaving death of hundreds of students. Thereare estimates even thousands of civilians. Thousands of demonstrators were detained.Universities were closed down for a long time.This 8888 uprising laid foundation of all democratic movement in Burma now. It made armyruler Ne Win to resign. Democratic leader Aung Sung Su Ki, U Tin Oo, U Win Tin and herparty the National League for Democracy was emerged from the background of this uprising.The generation of 1988 struggle is still the struggling pillars of democracy in country and inexile. It was the movement supported by all walks of life in Burma- the students, women,monks, workers, farmers, civil servants, doctors, teachers etc. It was the movement joined bythe people of different ideology- the liberals, the lefts, communists, democrats and civilians inpursuance of their common liberty.After the crack-down of 88 upraising, many student leaders choose different path to go in theborder of Burma and Thailand for the revolt and many of them are in exile. In the election of 1990 the National League for Democracy won more than two third majorities. But, the tragedy