50Hrs hunger-strike against Student

[zasanoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Dear Friends,
45 numbers including (10 ) ladies of Chins in New Delhi are going on for
(50) Hrs long Hunger Strike against the National Students Sport Festival
which would be started from March 28,1998.The hunger strike has been going
on since this morning 11:00 A.M Indian standard time(March 16, 1998) at
Jantar 
Mantar,New Delhi.many supporters from various organisations and Media
persons are also participating and joining the program. The program
consists of worship,reading the messages of various organisations and
giving speeches from respected patriots.Then,the memorandum was dubmitted
to the Burmese Embassy.I attach the Statement of Chin National Democratic
Forces. Thanking you. I remain!

With regards,
Sante

CHIN NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC  FORCES BASED IN DELHI 50- HOURS HUNGER STRIKE
AGAINST THE 8TH NATIONAL STUDENTS' SPORTS FESTIVAL IN BURMA.

1. The military regime, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) is
preparing to organise the 8th National Students' Sports Festival at Haka,
the capital of Chin State, on March 28, 1998.
2. In Burma, following the coup d'etat staged by a group of military led
by Gen. Ne Win in 1962, a military government, with its name changing, has
been ruling the country with dictatorship till today. It's been till today
that the dictators are inhumanly killing students who lead peaceful
demonstrations and demand abolition of dictatorship, restoration of
democracy and human rights. However, the regime still denies to recognise
the will of the people.
3. The regime has been organising National Students' Sports Festival every
year since 1990 with the hopes: to get support of the people; to erase
their image of tyranny; to get students' support to the leadership of
military; to strengthen the Union Solidarity and Development  Association
( USDA , and Pillar of the regime); to falsely show international
community that the Union territories are peaceful; and to suppress
national spirit of the minorities.
4. The regime is dismantling the peacefulness of Chin State just to
successfully organise the 8th Students' Sport Festival in the State where
Chin people have been staying peacefully. For this festival the SPDC
issues unjust and suppressive orders, arrest and detains a lot of innocent
people. Forced labour and forced relocation are prevailing in the whole
state. The people have to bear expenses for the festival - in cash or
provisions. Giving reason for security the strength of armed forces is
expanded and jungle par set fire.
Since Chin students are forced to practice dances for months opening and
closing ceremony of 
festival, the students are loosing time for studies. Moreover, the regime
has issued order - those students who do not participate in the festival
will be dismissed from school.
In Chin state, where most of the inhabitants are living on
jhum-cultivation, an order prohibiting the people to go out from their
villages was issued. Two women who went out to pick some fire-wood were
shot dead.
5. The Burma Army stationed in Chin state prohibits religious gatherings;
some churches are forced to shut down or some church sign-broads were
removed. In Chin state, most of the inhabitants are Christians, the
peoples are forced to build pagodas.
In Burma, the soldiers are encouraged and promised promotion if they get
married with Chin girls and convert into Buddhists. In these way the
regime is not only violating freedom of religion but also systematically
organising racial discrimination.
6. Because of these inhumane treatment and suppressing of the junta, Chin
students and Chin peoples are sneaking into Mizoram of India to take
refuge, and the number is increasing day by day.
7. We Chin Nationals based in Delhi are undergoing 50 hours hunger strike
against cruel and ruthless activities of SPDC, military regime to Chin
people and in order to share our peoples' suffering.
8. Our demands are as following:-
(a) To stop the 8th National Students' Sport Festival in Burma.
(b) To stop suppression of military dictatorship upon the  Chin people.
(c) To give self-determination and Human rights of Chins.
(d) To establish genuine Democracy and Federal Union in Burma.
(e) To accomplish the tripartite dialogue between Democratic forces led by
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leaders of all nationalities and SPDC.
(f) To put pressure by international communities in order to eliminate
illegal military dictatorship for establishing democracy in Burma.




16th March, 1998.						
Chin National Democratic Forces ( Delhi ).