>Subject: Burma Awareness day 9999

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

>Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 11:27:57 -0700 (PDT)
>From: owner-burmanet-l@xxxxxxx
>To: owner-burmanet-l@xxxxxxx
>
>>From strider@xxxxxxx  Sun Sep 12 11:26:58 1999
>Date: Sun, 12 Sep 1999 12:54:07 +0700
>To: (Recipient list suppressed)
>From: Teresa Kok <teresa@xxxxxxxxxxxx> (by way of ALTSEAN-BURMA
<altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>)
>Subject: Burma Awareness day 9999
>
>Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia
>--------------------------------
>Press Release
>9 September 1999
>
>BURMA AWARENESS DAY 9999
>
>Kuala Lumpur August 9, 1999 - Today the Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia
>(BSGM) together with various Burma ethnic nationality groups in Malaysia
>protested in front of the Burma Embassy in Kuala Lumpur as part of the Burma
>Awareness Day 9999. About 200 people representing BSGM and various ethnic
>nationalities handed in a memorandum to the Burmese Embassy.
>
>Following the presentation of the memorandum, about 50 members of the group
>equipped with yellow balloons, badges and informative leaflets went to the
>Central Market in Kuala Lumpur for their "Freedom Walk". Balloons, badges
>and leaflets were handed to the Malaysian public along the walk around the
>historic heart of Kuala Lumpur.
>
>Nine is a powerful figure in Burmese numerology. As such, 9 September 1999
>(9999) is considered an auspicious date by Burma's democracy movement to
>realise the longtime desire of the Burmese people for democracy and freedom
>from fear. But unfortunately, on this day, Burma's military regime is likely
>to deny the people the freedom to express their feelings or to protest - so
>those outside Burma have felt it necessary to make 9999 an international day
>for Burma. All around the world, Burma's democracy supporters are expressing
>their concern for the peoples of Burma today.
>
>In Malaysia, the BSGM has organised the Burma Awareness Day aimed at
>informing the Malaysian public at large about the plight of the peoples of
>Burma. The Burma Awareness Day and its carnival-like atmosphere celebrates
>the principles for which the pro-democracy movement in Burma stands: peace,
>freedom and democracy.
>
>The yellow balloons are significant because the colour yellow has become
>associated with the pro-democracy movement in Burma. Some balloons were
>released trailing yellow ribbons with the words "Peace", "Freedom" and
>"Democracy" - symbolically 'freeing Burma' and realising the hopes and
>aspirations of the peoples of Burma. A thousand balloons have been given
>away to remember the thousands of Burmese who have been killed, arrested or
>displaced as a direct result of the cruel actions of the military junta. It
>is the hope of the BSGM that his message of solidarity with the peoples of
>Burma from Malaysians is spread far and wide, not only amongst the
>international community but also to every strata of Malaysian society.
>Badges bearing the image of Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the
>strongest proponent of democracy in Burma, with the words "Courage" written
>in English and Burmese were worn and distributed as a reminder to the
>Burmese people not to lose hopt, even in the face of such adversity.
>
>As part of the Burma Awareness Day 9999, the BSGM presented a memorandum to
>the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) of Burma, which asks them to
>respect the wishes of the general populace of Burma by:
>
>* Releasing immediately all political prisoners, including elected members
>of the parliament of National League for Democracy (NLD)
>
>* Recognising the legitimacy of the democratic result of 1990
>
>* Initiating tripartite talks with the NLD and ethnic nationalities aiming
>at resolving the problems of the nation
>
>* Drafting and adopting a constitution in accordance with democratic
>principles and the wishes of the people
>
>The Committee Representing the Peoples Parliament
>-------------------------------------------------
>
>The BSGM specifically urges the SPDC to recognise the Committee Representing
>the Peoples Parliament (CRPP) as a legitimate body representing the elected
>members of Parliament in Burma.
>
>The CRPP was established on 1 September 1998 and held its first meeting on
>16 September 1998 in response to the SPDC's failure to meet a legal demand
>to convene parliament. The SPDC has not only ignored the call for parliament
>but have also detained many parliamentarians. It also issued restraining
>orders against others, effectively preventing them from participating in any
>centrally organised political activity. These actions led the National
>League for Democracy (NLD) to establish the CRPP, whose key role is as an
>empowered body functioning on behalf of Parliament until Parliament is fully
>convened.
>
>The CRPP, originally initiated by the NLD, has since received the support
>from many ethnic nationality groups within Burma, MPs in exile, as well as
>from international bodies, including the European Union and the
>Inter-Parliamentary Union.
>
>The BSGM also appeals the governments of ASEAN to endorse the CRPP as  the
>legitimate body representing the peoples of Burma as guaranteed under
>Article 21 opf the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to use their
>influence to urge the SPDC to recognise CRPP and begin genuine tripartite
>dailogue.
>
>Ends.
>
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