.. Free Burma Vigil...

"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

 

Solidarity Vigil in Support of Burma's People

This is from SUARAM:

Please attend the following peaceful solidarity vigil in support of Burma's people, who are unable to exercise their human rights in their country, and to express our opposition towards the Burma military junta's bloody crackdown on anti-government protests. At least 13 people were killed and hundreds arrested in the crackdown on demonstration of Buddhist monks and Burma's people.

The vigil is an initiative of civil society organisations, including Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Civil Rights Committee of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH-CRC), Youth For Change (Y4C) and Amnesty International (AI) Malaysia.

Date:
Friday, 5 October 2007


Time:
8.00 p.m.

Venue:
KLCC (entrance nearest to Menara Maxis, opposite Avenue K)

Please come to show your solidarity. Please bring candles, candle-holders and banners.

For further information, please contact SUARAM (MoonHui) at 03-77843525 or Amnesty International (K.Shan) at 03-79552680.

.a candle for freedom.

I'll be there tonight.

Candlelight Vigil

There will be a peaceful candlelight vigil in support of Revathi, and many others like her, who are unable to fully exercise their Constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of faith.

The vigil is an initiative of civil society organisations including MCCBCHST (the Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism) and various women’s rights groups (All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Sisters in Islam (SIS), Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO), Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC) and Women’s Development Collective (WDC)).

Date: Tuesday, 19 June 2007

Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Dataran Merdeka (at the flagpole)

Show your support in affirming the supremacy of the Federal Constitution and its protection of our fundamental liberties, including the freedom of belief.

Bring candles, candle-holders and banners.

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Summary of Revathi’s case:

Revathi, an ethnic Indian woman, has been held in a rehabilitation center run by Islamic authorities since January 2007 because she wants the State to acknowledge she is a Hindu and not a Muslim.

Revathi was born to Indian parents who had converted to Islam before her birth. She claims she was raised by her grandmother as a Hindu. She and Suresh were married according to Hindu rites in March 2004. Revathi was advised by the Malacca Islamic Religious Department to make an application at the Malacca Syariah High Court to confirm her status as a Hindu. She did as she was told.

However, the Syariah Court ordered her detained in a rehabilitation centre in Ulu Yam, Selangor under Melaka’s Syariah criminal laws for 100 days. This detention was extended in Revathi’s absence for a further 80 days supposedly because she had not “repented”. In the meanwhile, Revathi’s Muslim mother obtained a Syariah Court order granting her custody of Revathi and Suresh’s 15 month old baby. That order was enforced on Suresh’s Hindu family with the assistance of the police.

The family is now torn apart - with the mother in detention, the child with the grandparents and the father in limbo without his family.

Link:
Malaysia Bar Forum