Raising our Fighting Peacock Flag as high as we can

All Burma Federation of Student Unions:
Thu 30 Aug 2007

Historically, ever since the 1920 student boycott and first student strike, Burmese students have been at the forefront of every movement for political change in Burma. In 1936, the second student strike took place, and a third in 1938, which was called the 1300 affair (so named after the year of its occurrence in the traditional Burmese calendar). Through all of these early student protests, the passion of the students to fight for freedom and justice alongside their countrymen was enshrined.

Students hold three basic ideals for the well-being of the world, namely freedom, justice and equality. In accordance with these ideals, students always play an important role in solving any political or economic crisis. For instance, students were instrumental in the fight for independence. After the independence struggle, students played an important role in the democratization of Burma. During Burma’s long ordeal under successive military dictatorships, students have concurrently fought for democracy, human rights, freedom and justice in their attempts to wipe dictatorships from Burma and from the world.

Now, even as the Burmese people suffer from socioeconomic disruptions, our country continues in its political stalemate. The youth in Burma have faced many troubles studying, our people suffering are countless humiliations and difficulties. We believe that we, the students, are the children of the people. So, we should be united to fight against dictatorship and try to solve the current crisis in Burma.

On 7 July, 1962, our historic student union building was demolished by Ne Win’s military government and along with it, our student unions were eliminated. However, our All Burma Federation of Student Unions emerged once again during the pro-democracy uprising of the “Four Eights Affair”, which was led by our students.

In the current era, our students, led by 88 generation student groups, give recognition to the suffering of the people through peaceful walking demonstrations. Peaceful demonstrations which are brutally cracked down on by the military and military-backed pro-junta thugs. As students, even our ability to attend school has gravely deteriorated under the current regime. So, as is fitting of our fighting student spirit, we believe that we need to be at the forefront of the current movement to restore democracy in Burma.

Oh - Burmese Students! It is our time to fulfill our historical responsibility which has been handed over from previous generations. We, united and organized - our historic All Burma Federation of Student Unions.

Now as then, we, the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) vow to the people of Burma to fight for student rights, human rights, democracy, freedom and justice, and for the greater good, without regard for our own lives.

“If there be students, there must be student unions”

Central Organizing Committee
All Burma Federation of Student Unions

* This statement was written and distributed in Burma.*
—— Translated by ABFSU-FAC (Unofficial Translation) ———