Wednesday, October 24 will mark the twelve year anniversary that Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained by the military controlled government of Burma. It would look as if it’s one city for each year that Suu Kyi has been under house arrest by Burma’s government. Protests are being staged outside the various Chinese embassies across the world. The people protesting Suu Kyi’s continued detention say that China is the one country that could get Burma to release Aung San Suu Kyi.
Right now, an envoy to the United Nations is in China hoping to get the Chinese government to raise the pressure on Burma after the violent crackdowns on dissidents and pro-democracy demonstrators. So far, the Burmese government has said that ten people died during the suppression. But international diplomats do not seem to believe the Burmese government one bit as they believe the numbers are way higher than just ten people.
These rallies will be held in London in Britain, Paris in France, Berlin in Germany, Dublin in Ireland, Vienna in Austria, Sydney in Australia, Washington DC in the United States, Toronto in Canada, New York in the United States, Brasilia in Brazil, Bangkok in Thailand, and Cape Town in South Africa.
Participants of the demonstrations are called upon to wear Suu Kyi masks and the white cloth of Burmese prisoners. So far, six female Nobel Peace laureates have appealed together to the United Nations urging it to help her gain freedom.
The Burmese junta refused to hand over power when Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy had scored a win in the 1990 general election.
The other reason for the protests is that tomorrow is the anniversary of the charter of the United Nations. According to BBC, Burma offered to talk with Suu Kyi repeatedly but they kept the condition that she drops support for sanctions against Burma.
Ibrahim Gambari is seeking a united front between countries that can influence Burma. He is expected to return to Burma around early November. Gambari is currently in China to meet senior officials.
While China is concerned about Burma’s current situation, it stressed that it won’t interfere with the internal affairs of its neighbor.
Leave Your Comments