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Lobbyists campaign for women in Bur



Subject: Lobbyists campaign for women in Burma 

Lobbyists campaign for women in Burma 
The Nation

20.6.97

BY YINDEE LERTCHAROENCHOK 

A GROUP of human rights activists launched Burma Women's Day yesterday in 
front of the Burmese Embassy and called on the world community to support 
Burmese women who are suffering under the repressive rule of the Burmese 
junta. 

They also sent a message to millions of Burmese women and children in Burma 
that people across the globe will never forget them and will stand beside them 
in their struggle for democracy and human rights. 

Exiled Burmese dissidents and political campaigners in several countries also 
launched Burma Women's Day yesterday, which was timed to coincide with the 
birthday of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, to remind the 
international community of the ongoing serious human rights abuses in Burma, 
particularly those against women. 

A morning rally and an evening reception at a hotel was held in Bangkok, and 
similar activities were held in New Delhi, Manila, Washington, Osaka and The 
Netherlands. 

''Women across the globe are one family. Women in Burma have suffered all 
sorts of human rights abuses ­ torture, arrest, loss of their husbands and 
children. Their sufferings are also our sufferings," Chalida Tajaroensuk, 
programme officer of Forum Asia said. 

Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace laureate, is a leader not only of Burmese women 
but also of women's movements across the globe, she said. 

She added that a message had been sent to Suu Kyi to inform her of the 
decision to launch Burma Women's Day on her birthday and of the activities 
across the globe to mark the event. 

Chalida hoped that from now on people around the world, including those in 
Burma, will officially recognise June 19 as Burma Women's Day and hold regular 
events in coming years. 

About 10 protesters, none of them Burmese, participated in the rally in front 
of the embassy because organisers of the event, the Alternative Asean Network 
on Burma, urged Burmese activists not to attend for fear of being arrested. 

According to Chalida, the organisers plan to send Suu Kyi a book of birthday 
greetings signed by people who attended the evening reception. Several 
protesters expressed concern yesterday about the health of Suu Kyi, who has 
been experiencing pains in her back, neck and shoulders after falling down the 
stairs of her home on May 21. She is still resting and has reduced her 
workload. 

Suu Kyi's reluctance to talk about her health and family life is widely known 
among her political colleagues of the National League for Democracy (NLD). 

Suu Kyi, who turned 52 yesterday, has become the hope and aspiration of the 
Burmese pro-democracy movement. Her weekend speeches, which she has delivered 
to the public since her release from house arrest in July 1995 until late last 
year when the junta imposed a ban, have been transcribed, copied and 
distributed across the country. Deputy NLD chairman U Kyi Maung, who is highly 
respected by Suu Kyi, gave perhaps the best description of the Nobel 
laureate's personality in his conversation with author Alan Clements. 

In Clements' recently released book, ''Aung San Suu Kyi: The Voice of Hope", 
Kyi Maung said, ''One of the great things about Suu is that what you see is 
what you get. She's genuine, she never play-acts. She's not a pretender. She 
speaks her mind straight and frank. Another wonderful quality in Suu is that 
she genuinely loves people. She flourishes from her contact with people. She 
listens to them, learns from them and she's patient," he said. 

''You see her on weekends, look at the rapport she has with her audience. They 
are her family," he added. 

Kyi Maung goes on to describe another quality of the 52-year-old mother of two 
sons. ''Also, Suu is very funny. She has an abundant sense of humour. When 
we're together as a group, say in meetings, she is always telling jokes. 
Always. We all do. There's always a genuine feeling of love among us, we are 
all a family. This is the atmosphere we work in." 

Agence France-Presse adds: A high-ranking Thai military delegation arrived in 
Rangoon on Wednesday for an official visit to hold talks with Burmese military 
leaders, state-run Radio Rangoon reported. Shortly after arrival, the 
delegation headed by Royal Thai Navy chief Adm Vijit Chamuankarm called on the 
deputy commander-in-chief of the Burmese armed forces, Gen Maung Aye, the 
report said. 

Also present were other senior Burmese military officials, including the 
chiefs of Burma's navy and air force, the radio said in a broadcast monitored 
in Bangkok. 

Maung Aye also holds the posts of army chief and vice chairman of the State 
Law and Order Restoration Council ­ the official name of the ruling military 
junta. 

The radio did not indicate the subject of the discussion or the schedule of 
Adm Chamuankarm's meetings during the trip.