The Only True Freedom is Freedom from Fear

Welcome to the Blog of BGAN – Burma Global Action Network.

The aim of this blog is to keep people up to date with the happenings of campaigns and organisations working for a free Burma around the globe and to provide news and updates on the situation inside Burma. If you’ve only got time to catch up with one item of Burmese activism a week, make it us – we try to provide the most comprehensive set of ‘round-ups’ on the ‘net.

All posts to this blog will be made by either active members of BGAN or other Burma Activists with close ties to the organisation. Our activist awarded with Blog Update duty is Natasha (a.k.a. himi – speaking!) and she’ll be posting most of the entries. All entries will be made in a personable, easy-to-read informal style, because let’s face it – only a certain number of people are able to read BBC-style reports all the way to the end, and we want to make ALL entries on this blog as interesting as possible to as many people as possible.

We’d also like to encourage comments and participation from our readers (participation meaning yes, we’d like readers to be able to write entries for us as well), and it’s my belief that cultivating an image as far away from a ‘newspaper robot zombie machine’ as possible will help this.

Since this is our first real update, I thought I’d start it out by pointing out a few of the larger, more popular Burma Campaigns around the world and providing people with updates.

The next post in a few days will cover Blogs that are great sources of news and opinions from both inside and outside Burma.



First off, let’s take a look at some of the major campaigns this blog will be following.

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Burma Campaign UK

BCUK is a UK based organisation (well, obviously) with 3 Objectives: discouraging trade, investment and tourism to Burma (as per DASSK’s instructions); raising public awareness about issues in Burma; trying to pressure governments around the world on issues to do with Burma.

More information about the organisation can be found at:
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/aboutus.html

Most of the BCUK updates on this blog will be provided by a member of BCUK himself (and one of the admins from the Facebook Group Support the Monks’ Protests in Burma) Johnny Chatterton (blog link goes here).

This one won’t be, mostly because Johnny hasn’t been informed of his update duties yet.

BCUK has got three events it’s touting at the moment, and publicity for events touted by BCUK is usually pretty good, so if you’re in the UK (or somewhere decently close, like Amsterdam or France) and have the time, head on down to London to take part.

Note: events like these are also really good places to make contacts if you’re looking to get more heavily involved in Burmese Activism (trust me, all organisations need more volunteers!).

1 - Peace Walk from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square
Prayer Service at Trafalgar Square
Saturday, 5th of January 2008
The Prayer Service will be led by The International Burmese Monks Organization ( UK ) Supported by Pray for Freedom Volunteers

Programme
v Meet at 11:30am at Marble Arch Hard standing
(Tube: Central line to Marble Arch then exit 3)
v Begin Peace Walk led by monks at 12:30pm
v Arrive at Trafalgar square at approximately 2pm for the Prayer Service led by Buddhist monks (Nearest tube station Charing Cross )
v Guest speakers will address the participants and close the service at approximately 3pm

2 - BURMESE STUDENT ORGANISATION – UK
Cultural Promotion Event
When: Saturday 5th January 4.30-9.30pm
Where: Windeyer Building, University College London (UCL), London W1T 4JF, UK
Programme:
Food, and drink 4:30 - 6:30 in Room G05 (Free for ticket holders - tickets £7)
Cultural Show 6:30 - 9:00 Windeyer Edward Lewis Lecture Theatre
(Ethnic Dance, Cultural Model Show, Solo Show)

3 - BBC RADIO 4 ON BURMA
SUNDAY 9am-10am
This edition will feature a section on Burma, including interviews with key activists in Burma.
Listen online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/bh/

This webpage actually lets you listen again at any time you like, but if you want to listen live, http://www.worldtimezone.com will help you figure out what time it’s on where you are.

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US Campaign for Burma

USCB is what we’d like to call the ‘American Version’ of BCUK, except it’s actually totally different and I don’t believe they have any connections whatsoever.

USCB’s main objective is to assist grassroots activism groups in the states, providing support for their campaigns and events and education for their activists. This is a pretty noble objective, since most people tend to forget the little guys (yes, even in an NGO). They also organise campaigns of their own to raise awareness of the issues in Burma and to get them back into the spotlight.

One of the campaigns they’ve supported recently has been Driving for Burma , a popular campaign where a single Burmese citizen in Canada stuck a bunch of stickers on his car and drove around the continent, with the aim of raising public awareness of Burma.

It’s actually a lot more impressive than it sounds. The idea came from seeing buses and company cars plastered with stickers, posters and who-knows-what driving around everywhere to raise awareness. In every town he’s stopped in he’s organised a rally, parade or another similar kind of event to get the townspeople (or cityspeople!) involved and raise awareness (and publicity!). He’s been giving interviews along the way and I’ve been told that he’s managed to raise the funds for the entire thing himself.

His campaign was widely toted by the Burmese community on blogs and other forums. He’s back home now, having completed a journey of almost 20,000km and raising a lot of publicity and awareness for the Burmese cause.

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The Australian Campaign for Burma and Free Burma Australia

ACB sprung up out of the ashes of 6th October’s Worldwide Burma Protest day, and is the premier campaign organisation in Australia. Basically, Australia was host to about 100 different organisations all wanting to lend their hand in the Burma campaign in some way or other, and ACB brought them all together after many weeks of haggling and nitpicking and making arrangements. FBA keeps track of all the events and rallies held by ACB and posts pictures, video and other media, along with a page of petitions for signing.

The birth of ACB was incredibly difficult, but despite all the different opinions and objectives of the different groups involved, they managed to hold several rallies, marches and protest events WHILE they were still setting up. Which you have to admit is impressive.

And it’s good that we’re being impressed by Australia’s Campaign for Burma, because Australia is really the ONLY country with decent Burmese ties in the entire Western World. This means its in a unique position to argue and barter with the junta, and we’re hoping the new Prime Minister in Australia (Kevin Rudd, the geeky guy who looks like the MilkyBar Kid grown-up but speaks fantastic Mandarin and really understands Asian diplomacy) will be able to use these connections to make a difference.

Oh, and images of the 6th October Melbourne protest were truly inspiring (especially considering Australians carefully upkept image of being a bunch of laid-back beach bums, the small population and the massive distance between towns and cities). Check it out.

The next event being held in Australia is the Karen New Year Celebrations in Sydney. Details can be found here:
http://www.aucampaignforburma.org/UpcomingEvents.htm

A National Conference of Burmese activists is also being held in Sydney in February. Details aren’t available on the web yet, but it will be held on the 9th – 10th February. Details and agenda will be set at this Monday’s Sydney meeting (meetings are free for all to attend, please leave a comment for details).

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Aside from the three Burma Campaigns mentioned above, there are also a number of decent Facebook groups worth your attention. (Don’t have an FB account? You really need one to keep up with everything. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a profile, just sign up for an account and use it to get and stay involved. EVERY organisation has a FB group now.)

To support a weekly SaDuThiDha in Rangoon
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6926845613

The basis of it is that these guys collect money, give it to a family member in Rangoon, who then organises for a load of people to go out into the streets, set up a massive kitchen and just cook. The food is given out free to anybody who wants it – regardless of their nationality, religion, class, ethnicity and past.

Recent sanctions on Burma may have lowered the price of rice (yes! Sanctions do actually work for the people! I was surprised as well) but there are still millions upon millions of people living below the poverty line and scraping for food. If you have a spare $5 a week (or $2… or $1…. Really, the group owners appreciate any money you can give them, in any currency) please sign up and talk to the group officer to arrange a donation, because you’ll be making a real difference.


Support the Monks’ Protest in Burma
http://qutedu.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24957770200

Currently with over 400,000 members, this group is where BGAN came from and was a fantastic source of up-to-the-minute news during the protests (put it this way: BBC and CNN were getting their news from here). A bit quiet these days, but is still regularly updated with events and rallies world-wide, news items and the discussion boards are always quite lively.

A good deal of reporters looking to write stories come on here looking for sources as well, as the members range from Burmese people in Burma to 13 year olds learning a bit about the world. There’s a lot to explore and the links to campaigns and petitions are extensive, but if you’ve got a few minutes and just want to do something check it out.

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Right, I think that's it for campaigns and groups of note. I'll post up some information on Burmese Bloggers in the next few days. Please take a look at the websites up there and see what you can do to help.