Call for global day of protest over Myanmar crisis

3 Oct 2007

LONDON: Rights groups called on Wednesday for a global day of protests over the bloody crackdown on peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar, which has triggered worldwide condemnation.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch joined Crisis Action in the call for action on Saturday over the clampdown by the military junta in Myanmar, in which at least 13 people have been killed and over 1,000 arrested.
"These events around the world are designed to show the people of Burma (Myanmar) that we stand with them, and the generals that we are watching their every move," said a Crisis Action spokesman.

"We also hope the protests will force governments to do more to demand an end to the military crackdown and get the UN Security Council to act," he added.

Events are to take place at midday local time, and have already been scheduled in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Britain and the United States.
Protestors will wear red headbands in solidarity with arrested monks, tying them on government buildings, religious shrines and other places "to signify the thousands of lives currently hanging in the balance," said Crisis Action.
"We are calling for a global action on Saturday," added an Amnesty spokesman.

Myo Thien, a Burmese refugee who fled the country in 2003, added: "This day of action is to show that this crisis has not gone away. Our friends, families and spiritual leaders are in jail cells today at risk of torture."

"The UN Security Council must act now and they must keep focused on this crisis until change comes to Burma. The international community must not desert us now," he added, in a statement issued by Crisis Action.

The call was also backed by the Burma Campaign and the International Trade Union Congress, the group added, saying it was expecting demonstrations in some 30 countries around the world.

Myanmar's military regime kept up the pressure on its people Wednesday, warning of more arrests after last week's crackdown, as the European Union agreed in principle to punish the junta with sanctions.

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