CSW calls for fasting and prayer for Burma

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today announced plans for a day of fasting on Tuesday 4 September and a day of prayer on Sunday 9 September in response to the current crisis in Burma. These actions are being organised in conjunction with Burma Campaign UK.

Over the past ten days some of the biggest demonstrations in a decade have been taking place in Burma. Hundreds of people have marched peacefully almost every day since 19 August in protest at the military regime’s decision to raise fuel prices by 500 per cent.

In response to the peaceful protests, the regime has launched a brutal crackdown. Over 100 people have been arrested so far. Demonstrators, including women, have been beaten up with iron rods and bamboo sticks by the police and the junta’s proxy mobs. Almost all the leading pro-democracy activists have been detained, and may be sentenced to up to 20 years in jail. Amongst those arrested are Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi – two leaders of the pro-democracy movement in 1988 when thousands of peaceful protestors were massacred by the regime. They have already served 16 and 15 years in prison respectively during which time they endured terrible torture.

CSW’s National Director, Stuart Windsor, said: “We are calling for Christians around the country to join in a special day of prayer on Sunday 9 September at the request of Burmese exiles and campaign groups. We urge churches to include Burma in their Sunday service intercessions that day. We encourage people to pray for the release of those arrested, for action by the international community, and for meaningful dialogue between the regime, the democracy movement and the ethnic nationalities. We also support calls for a global hunger strike on Tuesday 4 September. We encourage Christians to fast and pray on 4 September in solidarity with the people of Burma who continue to show extraordinary courage and dignity, risking attack, arrest, torture and even death to protest peacefully at the injustice of the military regime.”

For more information, please contact Penny Hollings, Campaigns and Media Manager at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on 020 8329 0045, email pennyhollings@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

CSW is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.

CSW urges British government to bring Burma crisis to UN

Burmese Exiles in London protested today outside the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to call upon the UK government to do more to resolve the current crisis in Burma. In support of the protest, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has released a statement urging the UK Government to bring the crisis in Burma to the UN Security Council. Representatives from CSW and Burma Campaign UK also joined the protest today.

Last week, hundreds of people joined some of the largest demonstrations held in Burma in a decade. The protests were sparked in response to the military regime’s decision to raise fuel prices by 500 per cent. In response, the regime has launched a severe crackdown on protestors. Over 100 people have been arrested in the last week, including almost all the leading pro-democracy activists, and demonstrators have been savagely attacked by police and pro-junta mobs.

On 22 August, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Meg Munn MP, condemned the detention of leading activists who were arrested the previous day, and called for their immediate release.

Commenting today, CSW’s Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said: “We welcome the remarks last week by the Foreign Office Minister. However, it is extremely disappointing that the UK government has so far only issued this one statement on the current crisis. Given our history with Burma, we have a special responsibility to provide a much more robust and proactive approach in order to prevent the situation deteriorating further.

“We urge the United Kingdom to take the lead in calling for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address the situation. We also urge the United Kingdom to bring the issue of Burma to the agenda of the next EU Foreign Ministers meeting, and to raise Burma in other EU and UN forums as a matter of urgency. We call on the United Kingdom to put pressure on China, India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to use their influence with the regime to stop the crackdown on protestors and demand the release of those activists who have been arrested.”

For more information, please contact Penny Hollings, Campaigns and Media Manager at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on 020 8329 0045, email pennyhollings@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

CSW is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.

Burma junta cracks down on protests

Burma’s military regime is preparing to crack down on continuing protests which have resulted from their decision to increase fuel prices by 500 per cent. Almost all the leading democracy activists have been arrested for organising some of the biggest protests in Burma in a decade.

On Sunday 19 August over 400 people took part in a demonstration in Rangoon and protests have continued throughout the week. Pro-junta mobs have been used to attack demonstrators, many of whom have been beaten up and detained.

According to one report from sources inside Burma, police and pro-regime mobs from the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) attacked protesters in Rangoon at 11am this morning. About 20 protesters were beaten and dragged into trucks and taken away.

Reports from Burma indicate the regime is now building up its military presence in Rangoon.

On Tuesday 21 August at least 20 of the most prominent activists were arrested. Among them were leaders of the “88 Generation Students”, who led the pro-democracy movement in 1988 when thousands of peaceful demonstrators were massacred by the regime. They include Min Ko Naing, who was tortured during his 16 years in jail, and Ko Ko Gyi, who was imprisoned for 15 years. It is believed they will be charged with disrupting the stability of the state, a crime which carries a sentence of up to 20 year in prison.

Protests have been taking place at the Burmese Embassy in London and other cities around the world this week. At the demonstration today, Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW) Advocacy Officer for South Asia, Benedict Rogers, said: “We salute the courage of the people of Burma, who continue to risk arrest, attack and even death to protest against this brutal regime. We stand firmly in solidarity with the Burmese people.” Last night 10 Burmese exiles in London launched an overnight vigil at the Burmese Embassy, and a 24-hour hunger strike.

CSW’s National Director, Stuart Windsor, said: “The arrests, and the reports of troop build-ups, are deeply troubling. We saw in 1988 what the regime is capable of. It is a regime guilty of crimes against humanity. It is a regime that uses rape, torture, child soldiers and forced labour on a widespread and systematic scale. It is a regime that the international community can no longer turn a blind eye to. We urge the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency discussion on the crisis in Burma as a matter of urgency, and we urge the British Government to do all it possibly can to raise the situation at the Security Council.”

For more information, please contact Penny Hollings, Campaigns and Media Manager at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on 020 8329 0045 / 07823 329 663, email pennyhollings@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

CSW is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom, works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs and promotes religious liberty for all.