Human rights activists call for release of Burmese democracy leaders and UN Security Council Action against Burma’s military dictators

Chicagoland members of advocacy group US Campaign for Burma will participate in a silent march in downtown Chicago this Sunday, August 26, culminating in a rally in front of the Chinese consulate to demand that China support UN Security Council Action against the military rulers of the Southeast Asian country of Burma. Burma’s military junta recently imprisoned a dozen prominent human rights activists and mobilized heavy troop presence in Burma’s largest city, Rangoon, in response to protests against fuel price increases.

Among those imprisoned is the country’s second most prominent leader, Min Ko Naing, recipient of international awards including the Civil Courage Prize from the Northcote Parkinson Fund. The Chinese government is the biggest supporter of the military regime that rules Burma and arrested Min Ko Naing and a dozen other leaders from his group, the 88 Student Generation, this week.

The military regime in Burma, led by Senior General Than Shwe, doubled the price of diesel and petrol and quintupled the prices of compressed natural gas for cooking and buses last week. The dramatic sudden increase in prices is making basic survival difficult for all except Burma’s elite. The first of a handful of protest marches against the price increase was on Sunday, August 19. Several other marches inside Burma have followed, despite arrests and intimidation.

Board member of the US Campaign for Burma, Cristina Moon, will lead Chicago’s silent solidarity march, which will be a walking meditation like that practiced in predominantly-Buddhist Burma. “Walking meditation requires you to focus your attention on each movement and impulse that it takes to walk. This means that you walk extremely slowly, cultivating mindfulness in every moment,” said Moon. Moon, who met with 88 Student Generation leaders in Burma in April, says she was most struck by her conversations with Min Ko Naing about meditation during his sixteen years in Burmese prison, which were mostly spent in isolation.

The walking meditation route – about three and a half miles, including sections of Michigan Avenue – is in the shape of a figure-8, and will be walked twice, beginning at 6 AM and ending at 3 PM. The rally will feature speakers from Burma as well as American solidarity activists.

China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have strengthened the hand of the UN in dealing with Burma in January 2007. US Campaign for Burma members at Sunday’s rally will deliver a letter to the Chinese consulate demanding China’s cooperation on passing a resolution at the United Nations Security Council condemning Burma’s military junta.

Press Contact: Cristina Moon
202-352-0988, 773-387-1004
cristina@uscampaignforburma.org
www.88march.blogspot.com