GOOD MORNING MYANMAR…
December 9th, 2009
Tomorrow, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mac’s Backs on Coventry will host an Amnesty International Write-A-Thon in an effort to free political prisoners around the world as part of the UN’s International Human Rights Day. There is a long list of political prisoners, but I’m particularly interested in Aung San Suu Kyi, of course.
From Amnesty International:
The military rulers of Myanmar have jailed thousands of people in their continuing efforts to crush all dissenting views. Most prominent of those detained is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been the beacon of hope and change for two decades in Myanmar, the Southeast Asian nation formerly known as Burma.
Aung San Suu Kyi co-founded the National League for Democracy, a pro-democracy political party that sought to counter the military junta that had reigned over Myanmar since 1962. In 1990, the NLD won almost 80% of the parliamentary seats in a general election. Surprised at the landslide victory, the military junta refused to transfer power to Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, and jailed scores of political activists. Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 14 of the last 20 years under some form of detention. She was recently sentenced to 18 more months of house arrest.
Mac’s ask that you:
Stop in to write a letter—it won’t take long and there will be delicious raw food snacks and a fair trade raffle sponsored by the InterReligious Task Force. Handcrafts from Latin America and local artist’s work will also be on sale, so combine your holiday shopping with a good cause.
See you there. I’m thinking of live blogging at least part of the event.
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