"Please use your liberty to promote ours"
- Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, detained Nobel Peace Laureate
There were people from all walks of life in the vigil yesterday night. It really feel good to see people with diverse background coming together in unity to make a stand against the injustice in Burma.
I was a bit disappointed when the vigil is not reported by our mainstream newspaper today. My friend told me that, it will definately not be covered as one of the demand from the vigil was for all Malaysian companies to pull out from Burma. Plus, we were protesting in front of the HQ of one of the main investors in Burma.
Other requests are for ASEAN to sack Burma, calling for China and Russia to abandon the economic interest in Burma and to intefere, calling for our Malaysian government to act, calling for the international sanctions against Myanmar et al. (will update more when I get hold of the joint statement by the organisers)
The vigil ended with some speeches by the Burmese people and a song presentation of "Heal the world" by the Burmese children.
more photo here.
***
After reading more on Burma; about the massacre of the monks who led the peaceful protest due the insane increase of the petrol price in Burma, about accounts from people inside Burma, about the struggles and endurance of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi to bring democracy to her country, my heart cries with the Burmese people. I was more compelled to attend the solidarity vigil in support of the Burma's people when I heard about it.
I asked myself what can I do to help? I don't know, but I know it can be started somewhere, as small as it may be.
How?
1) Pray
2) Stand with the Burmese Protesters by signing the online petition.
"We stand alongside the citizens of Burma in their peaceful protests. We urge you to oppose a violent crackdown on the demonstrators, and to support genuine reconciliation and democracy in Burma. We pledge to hold you accountable for any further bloodshed."
3) Attend the Vigil/ any peaceful protest.
4) Join Amnesty International to urgently send emails, faxes or letters in English or your own language. Get template of letter and contact details.
"There has been a flood of reports of alleged brutal killings, disappearances and arrests as the military in Myanmar stamped out the anti-government protests of the last week."
5) Give to Burma
Also, today, over 30 cities around the world are staging a rally against the bloody crackdown of anti-government protest.
The world marches for Burma.
Living in fear in Burma
