18 June 2009
Taiwan Free Burma Network (TFBN) Press Release
Global Campaign for the Release of Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma 's Political Prisoners
-Taiwan Action on 19 June
TFBN Calls for Immediate Release of all Political Prisoners.
Global Campaign in solidarity with Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is launched on 19 June, which coincides with her 64th birthday, calling for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners. Taiwan Free Burma Network (TFBN), along with all other communities and organizations supporting Burmese peoples in their struggle for democracy, deplores the recent arrest and trial of Aung San Suu Kyi. These are examples of downplaying democracy and human rights on the side of Burmese military junta. Attention form the international communities is necessitated by the military junta's defiant attitude in terms of democracy and human rights.
For leading Burmese peoples to pursue democratization, Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for more than 13 years during the past 19 years. Despite the expiration of house arrest recently, the military junta bluntly accused her of "breaking terms of house arrest" and started trial for the allegation of "sheltering an American visitor". She is currently held in Insein Prison and waiting for her next trial on 26 June. Her attorney, Nyan Win, pointed out that the prosecution is politically motivated and it is all about to prevent her from participating in the upcoming election.
People are jailed or treated inhumanely for their political opinions in Burma. Families of those also suffer from economic hardships. The number of political prisoners increased from 1,150 to 2,100 after the Saffron Revolution. Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) launched a global petition for the release of political prisoners, with estimated more than 680,000 people from 220 countries or regions signing open letters to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, calling on him to include the immediate release of 2,100 political prisoners, including Aung San suu Kyi, in his priority.
International human rights organizations also coordinated "64 for Suu Kyi", which has enlisted many Hollywood stars and politicians worldwide. A joint statement by 107 former political prisoners from 107 countries also urges Burmese military junta to immediately release 2,100 political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and also urges UN Security Council to institute arms embargo against Burma.
TFBN, working along with artists, coordinates annual concert on her birthday. This year, groups including Kou Chou Ching, Chang Jui-chuan, Loh Tsui Kweh Commune, Chairman, Tonic, The Village Armed Young, Underflow, Tieh Chih& Blaire Ko, Message, Indulge and exiled PUNKGOD work together and will present a music collection "FREE BURMA For Freedom in Captivity" at concert. Besides championing love and peace in solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi and human rights activists in Burma, they aim at raising public awareness in Taiwan of the plight of Burmese peoples.
The concert this year will take place in Jhonghe and Yonghe, home to the largest Burmese community in Taiwan. During concert, we will write birthday cards for Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners. With «Happy Birthday to Aung San Suu Kyi» by PUNKGOD, TFBN invites all to give their blessings to the Burmese. A booklet "FREE BURMA Things You Never Knew" will also be released, to inform those interested of the real Burma and the responsibility of Taiwanese in international humans rights affairs.
Aung San Suu Kyi once related democratization to the release of all political prisoners. Taiwan had survived martial rule and struggle for democracy. These experiences are held dear by civil society in Taiwan and will be working on guaranteeing Burma's freedom by using Ours.
