Mia Farrow Calls for Global Pressure at Olympics for Burma

BANGKOK — American actress Mia Farrow said Friday the world should use the upcoming Beijing Olympics as a platform for demanding that China end its support for Burma's military junta.

Farrow also said US President George W Bush missed an opportunity to take a strong stand against China's ties with Burma by agreeing to attend the opening ceremonies of the August 8-24 games.

American activist and actress Mia Farrow, right, looks on as Noble Peace Laureate Jody Williams speaks as during a news conference at Foreign Correspondents' Club in Bangkok, on Friday. (Photo: AP)

"If there is enough international pressure and if voices are raised loud enough, we can push China to change its position on Burma," Farrow told The Associated Press in Bangkok. "Using the Olympics Games as tool to effect change is important."

Bush, who plans to stay in Beijing for the first few days of the Olympics, said earlier this week he was "fired up" to watch some of the competition.

"I wish that (Bush) had not agreed to attend the Olympics, because that represents a missed opportunity for the United States to stand strong by its own principles," Farrow said. "A statement could have been made by skipping the opening ceremonies."

China is Burma's most important ally, providing economic, military and other assistance while Western nations shun the military-ruled country because of its poor human rights record and failure to restore democracy. China objects to Western criticisms of Burma's junta, saying conditions in the Southeast Asian country have improved since its violent crackdown on peaceful protests last September.

"China must use its unique position with Burma—its business alliance, its seat on the (UN) Security Council—not to protect Burma and its own interests, but to effect change and to improve human rights in Burma," Farrow said.

Farrow has campaigned around the world to urge China to help stop killings in Sudan's western Darfur region. China has been one of Sudan's biggest trading partners, buying oil from the African nation and selling it weapons.

Farrow held a news conference in Bangkok after visiting the Burma-Thailand border with a delegation from the Nobel Women's Initiative, a group founded by female recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.

The actress urged the United Nations and the international community to take action to protect women in Burma from sexual exploitation and abuse in areas hit by a devastating cyclone in May, which killed more than 84,500 people and left 54,000 missing, according to the junta.

Global Actions for 8.8.08

United States

Washington

DC – July 24th

Challenge China Rally with PEARL (People for equality and relief in Lanka) Upper Senate Park 12-3 pm Contact: US Campaign for Burma

New York – August 8th

Tentative Schedule for Friday, 8 August 2008
12PM -2 PM (Burma Consulate General)
2PM -3PM (March from Burma Embassy to the United Nations)
3PM -7PM (Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, United Nations)

In addition, they will be hosting a welcoming event for Ko AThein and Ko Zaw Min Htwe of 88 Generation Students. Ko AThein and Ko Zaw Min Htwe have been walking across the United States from Portland, Oregon to the United Nations (nearly 3,000 miles) in an effort to raise awareness of human rights violations in Burma.

Contact: 88 Generation Students in Exile (88 GSE), National League for Democracy, Liberated Areas, USA Branch (NLD-LA), Women on the Move for Burma (WOMB), and International Campaign for Burma -New York (ICB-NY),

Los Angeles -August 1^st

Rally outside Chinese Consulate
STAND Marymount High School Chapter

Chicago

Rally in support of Burma in front of the Chinese Consulate in Chicago (401 N. Michigan Ave) from 4-6pm on 8/7/08. Contact: Buddhist Peace Fellowship

Canada

Toronto -August 8th

11 am – Noon: Press Conference at Ontario Legislative Building, Queen's Park Noon to 1 PM: Speeches at Queen's Park� 1 PM: March to the Chinese Consulate from Queen's Park (Burmese and
Tibetan communities together)� 2 PM on ward: Photo exhibition, acts, speeches, candle light vigils in front of the Chinese Consulate Office

Contact: zaw.w.kyaw@gmail.com; Burmese Democratic Forces -Toronto

Ottawa -August 8, 2008:

· Proclamation of “Burma Day” in the City of Ottawa
· Hoisting the symbol of Burmese democratic flag, “fighting peacock”
· Screening film and documentaries e.g. “Beyond Rangoon,” and “Inside Burma,
Land of Fear”
· Photo Exhibitions on “8.8.88 uprising” in Burma
· Production of CD album (song tracks contributed by Canadian musicians)
· Demonstration in front of Burmese and Chinese Embassy

Contact CFOB office at 613-237-8056, or email at cfob@cfob.org

Vancouver – more details needed

Europe

United Kingdom – August 8th

--A monument of glass by and dedicated to former prisoners, which will be unveiled by senior political figures in the morning, a big media-friendly demo at lunchtime at the Burmese embassy, and an exhibition on 88 and political prisoners in the evening.

Contact: Burma Campaign UK

--Protest Place: In front Chinese Embassy in London Address: 49-51 Portland Place, W1B 1JL City : London, United Kingdom

Time: 10am to 12 pm

Contact: Burma Democratic Concern, National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) UK, Women of Burma UK, Burmese Muslim Association UK

France – August 8th

Paris
Joint Rally at Chinese Embassy with Reporters Without Borders
Contact: Info Birmanie

Switzerland – August 8^th

A commemorative program in front of the fontaine du musee Olympique a Lausanne fountain on 8.8.08 for the 20th anniversary of 8.8.08

Contact: Association Suisse-Birmanie

Austria – August 4-7th Vienna: Supporting Don’t Watch Campaign and Will have a Burma Film Festival Contact: Austrian Burma Center

Czech Republic Prague – Burma Center Prague

Asia

Thailand

Bangkok – Protest August 8^th
Where: 10-11 am Chinese Embassy
12-13 pm Burmese Embassy

Bangkok – Seminar August 3^rd
“The 2 Decades Overview on Changes in Burma and a Way Forward”

This seminar will be co-organized by TACDB and Thammasat University, with the objectives of commemorating the 20 years anniversary of the 8888 uprising -people’s struggle for democracy in Burma. It also aims at pointing out the changes in Burma for the past 20 years and a way to move forward, and raising awareness among Thai public on the situations in Burma.

The seminar will be held on Sunday, 3 July 2008, at 12.00-17.00 hours, at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University-Tha Phrachan Campus. Expected audience include Thai public, Burmese groups in Bangkok and nearby provinces, refugees and migrant workers, ambassadors and journalists. It will be conducted in Thai and English (translation equipment will be provided). For more details, please see the attachment or call Khun Pam, TACDB at 089-699-6890 or email: tacdb@truemail.co.th

Philippines

Run up to August -from July 16 -August 2, we will have photo-petition sign up campaign in the factories and schools (people sign up and have their photos taken for the website gallery) for the "8888faces calling for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma" (kindly visit www.8888faces.org) this will be in factories where we have unions as FBC-Phils members and in schools where our members will set up their sign up booths with public exhibition (photos and campaign materials). This campaign started in August of last year and we're bound to complete the 8,888 names and faces this august.

August 3 -"Bike for Burma" Bikers travel around Metro Manila sporting Free Burma slogans. The event is co-sponsored by Amnesty International Pilipinas August 3-7 Media activities. FBC-Phils members doing the media rounds for TV, print and radio interviews; we will also try to get a house resolution at the Lower House of the Congress in support of Burma democratization

August 8 -morning -Torch relay for Democracy and human rights in Burma. FBC-Phils members (about 80 people) will go around the Makati commercial district (on a motorcade) and hold short rallies in front of the following offices: 1st stop -China consulate to calling China to stop supporting the SPDC military junta and not to veto and UNSC attempt to address Burma issue with a binding resolution; also call on to stop HR violations in China and Tibet 2nd stop -Royal Thai Embassy as the next chair of the ASEAN -to call on the ASEAN to halt its constructive engagement policy and to reject the SPDC roadmap to democracy.

For ASEAN to pressure the SPDC junta to sit down on a tripartite dialogue towards genuine democratic reforms 3rd stop -Myanmar SPDC junta -in commemoration of the 20th year of the crushing of the popular uprising in Burma. Calls: Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners; tripartite dialogue for democratic transition; stop all forms of human rights violations 4th stop -Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to call on the Philippine government to lead the ASEAN in pressuring the SPDC junta to sit down on a dialogue and take concrete actions towards democratization

All these will happen the whole morning

August 8 -evening -Burma cultural solidarity night and candle lighting "Keep the fire Burning" -with a concert and open to the public; will be held in a university campus; we're still raising funds for this.

August 15 -Public exhibition of the 8888faces campaign at the Mehan garden public park in Manila

Japan – need details

Malaysia – need details

Korea – need details

Australia – need details

New Zealand – August 8th

Wellington
Rally at Chinese Embassy: 12-5pm
Address: 2-6 Glenmore Street, Kelburn, Wellington, New Zealand

Contact: John Howse-Burma Campaign New Zealand

Global Justice Center-B8 GJB Locations

www.globaljusticeforburma.org

The Global Justice Center, alldaybuffet.org, Eli Klein Fine Art, Serene Communications, and the International Burmese Monks Organization have joined to create Global Justice for Burma. Coinciding with the opening of the Beijing Olympics on August 8, 2008, this group will launch an international campaign to bring Burma’s General Than Shwe and the military regime in Burma (officially known as the State Peace and Development Council or SPDC) to justice by referring them to the International Criminal Court. This larger campaign will kick off with a series of coinciding “B8 Events” held in art galleries in major cities across the world featuring contemporary Chinese artists. These events will bring together members of the Burmese community, global human rights organizations, and other activist and creative communities.

Delhi, India The Gulmohar Room India Habitat Center Lodhi Road, New Delhi 6:30-9:00pm

London, UK TBD

New York City, US Eli Klein Fine Art 462 West Broadway , NYC 7:00-10:00pm

San Francisco Frey Norris Gallery 456 Greary Street, San Francisco 6:00-9:00pm

China is the #1 Supporter of Burma’s Dictatorship

China keeps Burma’s military regime — and its brutal human rights record — in power. Burma’s military regime has burned down or otherwise destroyed 3,200 ethnic minority villages, forcing 1.5 million refugees to flee their homes. Who is the #1 supplier of arms and weapons to the regime? China. supplying them with over 2 billion US Dollars worth of weapons and military equipment including tanks, fighter jets and military advisors for training. This has allowed Burma’s regime to quadruple its size to 450,000 men, including approximately 70,000 child soldiers.

China is also one of the largest economic supporters of the regime. China’s foreign direct investments exceed 281 million US Dollars, and they also have 2.1 billion US Dollars worth of companies and projects in the country. China gives Burma hundreds of millions of US Dollars of loans and grants, as well.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient, is locked up in prison along with 2,000 other political dissidents. Despite its huge influence, China refuses to call for her release. It is one of the only countries in the world to refuse to back the Un Secretary General’s call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the imprisoned 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

The United Nations has been completely paralyzed, unable to take any action to prevent genocide in Burma. Why? China has used its veto at the UN Security Council to block any meaningful action. As a result, the UN is making many of the same mistakes it made on Darfur and Rwanda.

www.uscampaignforburma.org