Saturday is global free Burma day!

For Immediate Release
October 3, 2007

Contact:
Pete Perry, 571-271-1313
Thelma Young, 202-234-8022

Peace and Human Rights Groups March to Burmese, Chinese and Indian
Embassies on International Free Burma Day

WASHINGTON, DC – Responding to a global call for Saturday, October 6th
to be an international day of solidarity with the people's
pro-democracy movement in Myanmar, also known as Burma, the Washington
Peace Center and U.S. Campaign for Burma will march from the Burmese
Embassy 23rd and S Streets, NW, to the Chinese Embassy at Kalorama
Road and Connecticut Avenue, NW, and ending at the Indian Embassy on Q
Street, near Dupont Circle.

In response to last week's violent crackdown on Buddhist monks and
civilians in Rangoon, Mandalay and other towns and cities in Burma, a
popular group on the Web site Facebook has named October 6th
International Day Of Support for Burma. The U.S. Campaign for Burma, a
group dedicated to building broad-based support for freedom in Burma,
and the Washington Peace Center, a 44-year-old peace and justice
organization are combining efforts for a march beginning 12 Noon at
2300 S Street, NW and ending at the Indian Embassy where the Mahatma
Gandhi statue is at 21st and Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

"The people of Burma are taking a stand for freedom and democracy, and
we must now take a stand in full solidarity and support," said Thelma
Young, Campaigns Coordinator at U.S. Campaign for Burma. "We hope to
pressure both China and India to take a much stronger position against
the military junta."

"The images of nonviolent monks, students and other civilians being
shot and brutally beaten are heart wrenching," said Pete Perry a
member of the Washington Peace Center's board of directors. "All good
people of conscience ought to now march with their brothers and
sisters in Burma."

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Desmond Tutu has joined the movement to
support freedom in Burma. He has said he will boycott the 2008
Olympics unless China changes its position at the U.N. Security
Council.

There are expected to be peace and human rights activists, Buddhist
monks, students and participants in this year's Green Festival, taking
place this weekend, participating in this march.
###

Comments

Sheehan to challenge Pelosi

I was there the day about three weeks ago when Cindy announced she was running against Pelosi. It was outside of Rep. John Conyers'office. I think change is in the air, and all politics is local. The San Fran area is perhaps the most staunchly progressive in the whole country. Tomorrow morning I will be dropping a check for Cindy's campaign in the mail. Peace activist seeks SF-area House seat Associated Press report Citing her son as inspiration, a tearful Cindy Sheehan announced her candidacy Thursday for the U.S. House of Representatives. The anti-war activist, a former resident of Vacaville, said she will run as an independent against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco in Congress since 1987. "The country is ripe for a change," said Sheehan, who spoke at a news conference in San Francisco, with her slain son's photograph attached to the podium. "It's going to start right here and right now." Sheehan's 24-year-old son...

Guantanamo put on trial -- May 27th

In eight days, Eve Tetaz, a 76-year old retired D.C. public schoolteacher, will enter a courthouse in Washington, D.C. and engage in the legal debate over the fate of America's detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The name of Noor Muhammad has never appeared in an American criminal court. On May 27th, Tetaz will change that. On that day, she will appear at the Washington, D.C. Superior Court as Noor Muhammad. Tetaz was arrested, along with 78 others, at the U.S. Supreme Court on January 11, 2008, protesting the denial of habeas rights to and the torture of inmates at Guantanamo. Like her fellow protestors, Tetaz took the name of an inmate during her arrest. ( See the January 13 Washington Post article "Activists Pose as Guantanamo Prisoners" ) Tetaz says she felt compelled to participate in the protest at the Supreme Court because detainees are being tortured at Guantanamo. "Torture is a terrible crime and sin against humanity," she said. Thirty-four ...

William Thomas Dies

William Thomas, dedicated peace and anti-nuke activist, passed away Friday morning at home. He was co-pilot of the 24-hour seven-day a week vigil at the White House for 27 years. He is survived by his wife Ellen and vigil co-pilot Concepcion. I remember Thomas from my high school years years early in on his vigil. Millions of people from hundred of countries visited Thomas as he kept vigiling, warning them of the dangers of nuclear holocaust and the ravages of war. He will be greatly missed by the peace and justice movement. An excerpt from an article in The Washington Post by David Montgomery, published a couple years ago: WASHINGTON — William Thomas first introduced fanny to brick on the White House sidewalk on June 3, 1981. His sign said, "Wanted: Wisdom and Honesty." He's been there ever since, still squatting, still wanting. A few months after he began, he was joined by Concepcion Picciotto, who has remained similarly steadfast. War is not over, but the peace protest...

Inside the Belly of the Beltway Beast

Search This Blog