Burmese staged for immediate release of 2100 Political Prisoners
- Burma Centre Delhi (BCD) -
New Delhi, 8th August, 2011:
“ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS INCLUDING 8888 GENERATION STUDENT LEADERS MUST BE RELEASED, IF THEIN SEIN's GOVERNMENT IS WILLING GENUINE PEACE AND RECOUNCILIATION IN BURMA”
New Delhi, 8th August 2011: Today, about two hundreds of India-based Burmese activists staged a protest rally and called for immediate release of all political prisoners, including the 8888 generation student leaders who have been sentenced for 65 years imprisonment in Burma.
8th August 2011 is the 23rd Anniversary of the Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests in Burma known as “8888 Uprising”.
The 8888 uprising was started by students in Rangoon on August 8, 1988. Students' protests spread throughout the country. Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life, including young school children, demonstrated against the regime and demanded to stop one-party authoritarian state and reform to multi-party democracy government.
The regime responded by military killings on un-armed peaceful demonstrators. Thousands of deaths and displacement have been attributed to the brutal military crack down during this uprising with more than 3000 people killed and hundreds of students were thrown into jail and many thousands have been forced to leave the country.
Ms. Thin Thin Aung who involved in the 8888 nationwide movement and fled to India in 1988 along with other hundreds of Burmese youth and students, stated that “I feel like it happened yesterday, those tragedies and fallen heroes can never be forgotten, the sprit of 8888 movement lives on in the generation that has been carried forwarded ”.
Today, military controlled government still rules in Burma with civilian clothes. More than 2000 political prisoners including 8888 generation student leaders are being detained under harsh condition in different jails throughout the country.
The military regime continues to commit gross human rights violations against its own people which include extra judicial killings and military rape. Militarization, armed conflicts, and displacement have increased in the ethnic areas, Rather than engaging in political dialogue, Burma army increased attacks on the ethnic armed groups that has lead to the decade-long cease fire agreement.
“If Thein Sein government really wants genuine peace and reconciliation in the country, it must show the political will and creates the environment conducive to the political change in Burma that has to start with the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners”, said Ms.Aung.
On the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the 8888 people's uprising, India based Burmese democracy activists call on the Thein Sein regime: to declare nationwide ceasefire and to commence inclusive political dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all stake holders.
Also read an earlier Press Release here
* This Press Release was sent by Burma Centre Delhi (BCD)
The sender can be contacted at burmacentredelhi(at)gmail(dot)com
This PR was webcasted on August 08 2011 .
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