-
-
Burma's junta defies the world by extending detention of Nobel winner Aung San Su...
Burma's military junta extended the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi today, ignoring worldwide appeals to free the Nobel laureate who has been detained for more than 12 of the past 18 years, an official said.
The duration of the extension was not immediately known, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
In the past, the junta has renewed Suu Kyi's detention for six-month or one-year periods.
Suu Kyi was personally informed of her continued imprisonment by officials from the Home Ministry who entered her home prior to the announcement, the official said.
The politician, who has been under house arrest continuously since May 2003, has long been the symbol of the regime's brutality and the focus of a worldwide campaign that has lobbied for her release.
The extension was issued despite a Myanmar law that stipulates no one can be held longer than five years without being released or put on trial. Burma's military junta extended the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi today, ignoring worldwide appeals to free the Nobe... more -
You say Burma, I say Myanmar... but why?
The recent cyclones in South Asia have brought Burma into the news, but some sources call it Myanmar. Why?
http://current.com/items/88936935_devastation_in_myanma...
The name change is confusing, but it has socio-political implications.
Burma has been the historic name of the region since the 11th century. Burma became an independent parliamentary democracy in 1948, but a 1962 coup gave a military junta absolute power. In 1988 citizens of Burma held a nationwide protest demanding an end to the junta. Reports indicate that soldiers fired on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. After the protests an internal coup emerged. The ruling faction then established an election, but only after imprisoning opposition party leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In a 1990 she received over 80% of the parliamentary seats. Democracy still doesn’t exist in the country.
In 1989 the ruling faction decided to rename the country, Myanmar, the Burmese word for “strong and fast.” As it stands Myanmar is a term that represents the ruling party, and not the people. The Burmese people who struggle for a fair democracy call their nation Burma. The policy of the European Union and the United States is to call the nation Burma, in symbolic protest of the dictatorship.
The issues in this country are complex. These are some links to learn more about Burma/Myanmar
Breaking news about the nation:
http://current.com/topics/77004662_burma
http://current.com/topics/77012082_myanmar
News sources run by exiled Burmese dissidents:
http://www.mizzima.com/
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
International human rights campaigns for Burma:
http://uscampaignforburma.org/
http://www.cfob.org/
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/
http://www.freeburmacoalition.org/
http://www.freeburmarangers.org/
Further reading:
“Should it be Burma or Myanmar? “
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7013943.stm
“Global Business vs. Global Justice”
http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/burma.html
CIA World Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-fact...
BBC Country Profile
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profile...
Burmese pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi
http://www.dassk.com/index.php The recent cyclones in South Asia have brought Burma into the news, but some sources call it Myanmar. Why? ... more -
UN envoy arrives in Myanmar to push for reforms
UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived Thursday in Myanmar to try to press the ruling junta to include detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in promised multi-party elections.
Gambari was set to meet foreign diplomats later Thursday, and on previous missions has also been allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi and senior government officials.
However, on his last visit he was shunned by the regime's reclusive leader, Senior General Than Shwe, and it was unclear if he would see him this time.
The rest of his schedule has not been announced and his departure date has not been set, although diplomats expect him to leave on Sunday.
It is Gambari's third visit in all since last September's deadly crackdown on anti-government street protests, and the first since the junta's surprise announcement last month of a constitutional referendum in May and multi-party elections in 2010. UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived Thursday in Myanmar to try to press the ruling junta to include detained opposition leader Aung San S... more -
Aung San Suu Kyi banned from Myanmar elections on "very odd" terms
Opposition leader Suu Kyi will be barred from running for elections under a draft constitution proposed by the country's military government, not because of her political leanings or antagonistic relationship with the ruling military, but because she has been married to a foreigner. She was married to Michael Aris, a British citizen who died in 1999. This "announcement comes ahead of a May referendum on the new constitution which, if approved, will pave the way for democratic elections in 2010." Criticisms for this decision have come from Asean and from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, though Asean is reported to be "powerless to do anything." NLD is not throwing up their hands so easily, calling the restrictions "unjust."
Opposition leader Suu Kyi will be barred from running for elections under a draft constitution proposed by the country's military gove... more -
Swiss Chris' Drum Solo With Electrifying Effects: A tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi
Swiss Chris is no ordinary drummer. This video is his tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient that is in jail for speaking of freedom and democracy in Burma.
Who is Aung San Suu Kyi?
* Known to much of the world as "Asia's Nelson Mandela", she currently leads a popular, nonviolent freedom struggle in Burma.
* In 1990, the year of Burma's last democratic election, her political party, the National League for Democracy, won 82% of the seats in parliament; however the ruling military regime refused to recognize the results.
* One year later, in 1991, while still under house arrest and leading a non-violent struggle for democracy she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
* The regime has kept her imprisoned for 11 of the past 16 years.
* She has won over 70 major international awards for her work on behalf of the people of Burma, including: the Nobel Peace Prize, Sakharov Prize (from the European Parliament) and the US Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In an increasingly jaded world of political apathy and power-hungry institutions, Aung San Suu Kyi is truly that rare heroine of legend - a symbol of hope - championing the rights of individuals in the face of human rights violations and dictatorial oppression. Suu Kyi continues to stand alone in defiance of an unjust and brutal military regime with grace and Gandhi-like resolve.
Throughout 11 of the past 16 years, she has struggled in obscurity, with little or no contact with the world. Due to her perseverance amid growing concern for health and well-being, a determined community of individuals from around the world have rallied in support of Suu Kyi and the plight of the Burmese people.
The video displays his innovative techniques and electronic know how along with his passion for the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi. Besides the ordinary drum kit, Swiss Chris adds electronic pads that when hit with his drumsticks, triggers a multitude of sounds and video that he's prerecorded into his mixing unit. The result is a sound thats like having a backing band, including a vocalist if he wants as well as various video of current news, historic news and just about anything he wants that he gets clearance for.
Swiss has used this technology mainly for his human rights efforts for the Freedom campaign as well as his own organization, Saving With Instruments Samples and Soundz (SWISS). Swiss Chris is also the Music Director and Drummer for 5 time Grammy winner John Legend.
More info on Swiss can be found at: www.myspace.com/swisschristhemanonthedrums
Swiss Chris is no ordinary drummer. This video is his tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient that is in jail for ... more -
Possible signs of hope in Burma
Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma's stifled democracy movement, said in a statement released by the United Nations yesterday that she is ready to "cooperate" with the military government. Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma's stifled democracy movement, said in a statement released by the United Nations yesterday that ... more
-
Future of Freedom in Burma
This short slideshow/documentary is a series of still and moving images with
factual, educational information about the country, people and the regime in Burma.(Myanmar)
The footage mainly highlights the *Future of the Burmese kids.
a Better fUtuRe Must Arrive.
...B.........U...R...M......A.......
*FREEDOM AND EDUCATION WILL ASSURE A BETTER FUTURE ANYWHERE IN OUR PLANET.
This short slideshow/documentary is a series of still and moving images with ... more -
Myanmar Meeting
Aung San Suu Kyi was driven to a government guest house to meet with a representative sent by General Than Shwe. The move is seen as progress, though arrests of those who participated in last month's pro-democracy are apparently ongoing. Aung San Suu Kyi was driven to a government guest house to meet with a representative sent by General Than Shwe. The move is seen as ... more
-
Myanmar Crackdown
The protests in Myanmar have captured the attention of the world. We review the events that have taken place on the streets of Yangon.
-
UN Envoy Finally Meets With Myanmar General Than Shwe
No word on how the discussions went. Ibrahim Gambari was expected to express the international outrage over how the peaceful, pro-democracy demonstrations were shut down, and to try to convince the dictators to take the demands of protesters seriously. A second, surprise meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi after his meeting with Senior General Than Shwe gave many hope that there might be a chance for diplomacy in the country. No word on how the discussions went. Ibrahim Gambari was expected to express the international outrage over how the peaceful, pro-dem... more
-
Meetings in Myanmar
The U.N. envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, met with the head of the opposition party, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Sunday. She was allowed out of the house arrest she has been under for the past 19 years to meet with Gambari for an hour. He has still not spoken with either of the top two leaders of the government, as they keep pushing and delaying their scheduled meetings. Gambari was supposed to be leaving the country tomorrow. The U.N. envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, met with the head of the opposition party, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Sunday. She was allowed out of the h... more
-
U.N. Representative in Myanmar
The U.N. envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, spoke with the leader of the opposition, Aung San Suu Kyi, who was allowed out of the house arrest she has been under since she and her party won election in 1989 for the hour long meeting. Gambari was then scheduled to meet with the head of the government, Senior General Than Shwe. Streets were cleaned of blood and debris in anticipation of his visit, and the overnight arrests of protestors continued, so that the streets have remained relatively calm during the day. The U.N. envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, spoke with the leader of the opposition, Aung San Suu Kyi, who was allowed out of the hous... more
-
Bloggers on the protests in Myanmar
Bloggers support the protesting monks of Mynamar, razz Prince Charles for not screening the film adaptation of Brick Lane, and ask if an amateur photo of a blond girl in Morocco could depict Madeleine McCann. Bloggers support the protesting monks of Mynamar, razz Prince Charles for not screening the film adaptation of Brick Lane, and ask if ... more
-
Jim Carrey to Burma: Give Peace a Chance
Forget Winona. Forget Katie. Definitely forget Paris. Jim Carrey wants to focus on a new campaign: Free Aung San.
-
Is this 60 seconds? Nope 1:21, YOU'RE OUT CARREY!
I'm sure we've all seen this but here you go. Makes sense to me.
-
related topics
Aung San Suu Kyi
Contributors (40)
Aung San Suu Kyi
