FREE BURMA WEEK AT CSULB REPORT

[aliburma@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

This week was the Free Burma Week at CSULB.  The event was a definite
success.  I've ranked the top successes of this weeks event:

1) United Methodists Activism

First, I was able to coordinate with the United Methodists Student Movement
to sponsor the week.  This was great!!!  Not only did it get their group
involved and interested in the Burma issue, the campus minister has now
made plans for me and their president (who is a good friend of mine) to
give an entire presentation in front of the national United Methodists
Minister Conference about Burma and the boycotts.  She even suggested we
get the United Methodists Churches of US to pass a resolution during the
conference stating their support for a Free Burma and to boycott all
businesses linked.  They had adopted such resolutions during the 80's with
apartheid, and she was sure that they wouldn't be hesitant to adopt a Burma
one as well.

Many of the methodists members didn't know the Burma issue well, but by the
end of the week, they were all Burma experts.  One enthusiastic member had
even read the entire FBC manual!!!  It was incredible the amount they
learned.  In fact, I had been worried about the table we set up since
professors and students might have had questions, but the methodists had
learned so much they were well beyond capable of answering them on their
own.  Most of them are even planning to attend the upcoming FBC conference.
 The Free Burma Week had also opened a window for their group to do more
humanitarian/political work, something which they had been needing and
searching for.

2) VIDEOS

Everyday we showed videos.  We showed 'INSIDE BURMA:LAND OF FEAR', 'NO
CHILDHOOD AT ALL', 'BURMA DIARY', and 'OPIUM KINGS'.  They were all
excellent videos.  We first showed the videos, and after had a question and
answer session.

Our turnouts were 10 Monday, 27 Tuesday, 15 Wednesday, 15 Thursday.  The
numbers look generally small, however each day we had fresh faces so the
turnout was cumulatively large.  Also, the type of people that came were
important.  We had very interested professors and students, many of whom
were ready for action.  Some students had even begged us if they could
attend the upcoming ARCO protests!!  Small numbers was the key to stronger
members.

3) RESOLUTION, TABLE, SILENT DEMONSTRATION, AND PAPER ARTICLE

All this is leading up to the resolution that will be voted on this coming
Wednesday.  I've talked to most of the senators, and they look all ready
and happy to pass it with flying colors.  They were impressed by the Free
Burma Week and our ability to mobilize and 'rock' the campus.  CSULB is
generally a commuter campus where very little activism gets done.  The idea
of a resolution was mind boggling to the Student Body and they are very
willing to pass it.

At the table we had, we had tons of posters and signs.  The best was the
huge blue banner saying "Burma is a (n)ARCO dictatorship"....it was so
visible it was impossible to not see.  We also had signs with our events,
homepage address, and boycott dates.  However, the best attraction was the
TV.  We brought a TV with us everyday and played parts of different tapes,
usually the gory and sad parts.  This attracted a lot of attention as
people walked by.  At the table we had Alan Clements colorful picture book
on Burma.  We also had flyers on ARCO and UNOCAL and simple Burma fact
sheets.  The table was by far the best publicizing we did.  

During the peak noon time when the quad is usually crowded, about 5-7 of us
took signs and marched throughout the campus and inside buildings.  We
didn't do any chants but the visual was very effective.  The most effective
was when we walked into the faculty cafeteria and displayed our
signs...some professors had applauded and cheered us on.  

The last day, the school paper interviewed me and the president of the
methodist group.  The interview went well although we have not seen the
article yet.  However, the photographer had taken pictures of our table
set-up, so definitely our ARCO signs will be well displayed all over the
school paper.  I'll be sure to send a copy of the paper to ARCO and UNOCAL.

Overall we had great fun doing this.  I really think the success were the
"small" insignificant successes.  Although we didn't mass rally the campus,
we got individuals who will dedicate far more time in the future than a
hundred brain-dead students rallying loud and crazy for five minutes.  I
think this was our biggest achievement.

peace out!
Ali

aliburma@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

p.s.  I've got some pictures.  I'll post them up when ready!