Aung San Suu Kyi received the Rafto Prize in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
British Parliament
A new campaign for her release, a Motion for Aung San Suu Kyi, which is a kind of Parliamentary petition on Burma, has been submitted to the British Parliament. The Motion – HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA – sends best wishes to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who on 19 June 2010 will be spending her 65th birthday in detention.
Early Day Motion 112: Human rights in Burma
Burma Campaign UK urges organisations and people worldwide to write to their respective Members of Parliament asking them to support Early Day Motion 112. The motion calls on governments worldwide to send its best wishes to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; to call for the immediate release of her and all political prisoners in Burma; to reject the elections planned by Burma’s generals later this year which, due to election laws and ongoing repression in Burma, cannot be free and fair; to condemn Burma’s new constitution which is designed to maintain dictatorship in civilian guise and does not grant rights or protection to Burma’s ethnic minorities; to note that all diplomatic efforts to reform the dictatorship’s sham roadmap to democracy have failed; to remind that the United Nations Security Council, General Assembly, Secretary General and Human Rights Council have all stated that the solution to the problems in Burma lies in dialogue between the dictatorship, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, and ethnic representatives; to call on the Government to support a United Nations-led effort to pressure the dictatorship to enter into such dialogue.
What is an Early Day Motion?
Early day motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons (the House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom). However, very few EDMs are actually debated. Instead, they are used to draw attention to specific issues and demonstrate the extent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view. An MP can add their signature to an EDM to show their support.
Elections in 2010
The junta in Burma has announced elections in 2010, but a large part of the democracy movement has rejected the elections on the basis of the Constitution that was forced through a referendum in May 2008, which gives the junta control of both process and outcome.
No one believes that the elections will be free and democratic, but there are different opinions about what the elections might lead to, writes the Norwegian Burma Committee. On the one hand there are those who believe that the elections are the only opportunity that exists and that it is better to join than not. On the other hand there are those who believe that change must happen before elections are held, because the conditions for elections as they are today will only strengthen the military’s power.
The democracy movement does not want to accept the election before the following requirements are met: the release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; dialogue between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ethnic groups and the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), which includes a review of the Constitution; the stopping of all attacks on ethnic groups and political activists.
Program in Bergen for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65th birthday ceremony
Saturday, the 19th June, 2010 is Burmese democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65th birthday. Her birthday ceremony will be celebrated and you are hereby warmly welcome to attend in order to honor her and her effort for the democracy movement in Burma.
There will be a demonstration focusing on:
– opposition to the military’s handling of the election 2010
– an appeal to the Norwegian government to reconsider its humanitarian support to the military junta – the immediate release of Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners
Program:
13:00 to 14:30 Ceremony at the Rafto Human Rights House
14:30 to 16:00 Demonstration
Route: from the Rafto House to Blue Stone, City Hall to deliver the letter of appeal
16:30 to 17:30 Burmese food-Moke Him Ghar at the Rafto House
Related links:
Bergen Burma community’s appeal to Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Burma: 2010 elections will define the political landscape for years to come
EU mission to Burma – new approach to press ruling junta to adopt democracy?