Posted
May 19th, 2009
by
On 14 May 2009, the leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, was charged with breaching the conditions of her house arrest. The charge relates to a US citizen who reportedly swam across the lake to her home and in doing so violated the ban on her meeting with anyone without prior permission.
On 18 May, Suu Kyi’s closed trial began in Insein Prison. Dozens of Suu Kyi’s supporters gathered near the prison for the hearing and protests took place across the globe. In London, members of English PEN attended a demonstration in front of the Burmese Embassy to demand the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all of Burma’s political prisoners.
The following is a news report from the Burma Campaign UK:
Police had to close the street of the Burmese Embassy in London as more than 200 people joined the protest demanding the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Representatives of Burmese community organisations and human rights groups gave speeches, including from National League for Democracy – Liberated Area, Women of Burma UK, Burma Muslin Association, Karen National Union, Kachin National Organisation, Chin Community, Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, Wai Hnin Pwint Thon (daughter of political prisoner Mya Aye), Burma Democratic Concern, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, and Burma Campaign UK.
Protests were taking place in more than 20 cities today, including London, Oslo, Bangkok, Sydney, San Francisco, Pretoria, Perth, Ottawa, Tokyo, Melbourne, Canberra, Taipei, Toronto, Indiana, Barcelona, Paris, Stockholm, Barcelona, Boston, Cadiz, Sevilla, Washington DC, and Kuala Lumpur.
“Today a message went out loud and clear that people around the world are not prepared to stand by and let the regime jail Aung San Suu Kyi for five more years,” said Anna Roberts, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Governments must turn words into action, using every diplomatic, economic and legal tool at their disposal.”
Originally posted with the url: www.englishpen.org/writersinprison/bulletins/myanmarburma200joinprotestinlondon/
