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SAFFRON REVOLUTION

Monks beaten by soldiers

The phrase "Saffron Revolution" is the name appeared after 2007 demonstrations to describe the protests of the the saffron-colored robes widely associated with Buddhist monks, who were at the forefront of the demonstrations against military dictatorship in Burma.

Burmese monks have taken part in protests in the past, against British colonial rule and against a half-century of rule by military dictatorship. Their resistance to the British produced the most prominent political martyr of Burmese Buddhism, U Wisara, who died in prison in 1929 after a 166-day hunger strike. In 1988, there were a lot of demonstrations took place in Rangoon, led by monks and students. These demonstrations were brutally repressed by the military killing thousands of monks, students and activists. Eventually, after the bloodshed, they can manage to topple the Ne Win led dictatorship. But sadly, another military came to power and rule the country with abosulte authority.

The cost of basic commodities were rising continuously and in late 2006, rice, eggs, and cooking oil are increasing by 30-40%. The living standards in Burma is distinguish in the fact that many of the high ranking army generals and their connected families have become immensely rich and on the other hand normal people are distressfully rely on their little earning . On August 15, 2007 the government removed subsidies on fuel causing a rapid and unannounced increase in prices. The government raised prices from about $1.40 to $2.80 a gallon, and boosted the price of natural gas by about 500%. This increase in fuel prices led to an increase in food prices.

Long term suffering of the economic distress as well as living under the injustice system of the government makes the people took to the streets to protest the current conditions. In response to the protests, the government began arresting and beating demonstrators. The government arrested 13 prominent Burmese dissidents including Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Min Zeya, Ko Jimmy, Ko Pyone Cho, Arnt Bwe Kyaw and Ko Mya Aye.

On September 5, 2007, Burmese troops forcibly broke up a peaceful demonstration in Pakokku and injured three monks. The military refused to apologize the demanding by the deadline of September 17. This sparked the huge number of monks involving in the protests. Their role in the protests was significant due to the reverence paid to them by the civilian population and the military. After these events, protests began spreading across Burma, including Rangoon, Sittwe, Pakokku and Mandalay.

The biggest antigovernment protests in two decades, some barefoot monks held their alms receiving bowls upside down before them instead of asking for their daily donations of food. It was a shocking image in the devoutly Buddhist nation. The monks were refusing to receive alms from the military rulers and their families — effectively excommunicating them from the religion that is at the core of Burmese culture. The military rules by force, but the monks retain ultimate moral authority. Receiving alms and donation is a ritual that expresses a profound bond between the ordinary Buddhist and the monk. The people are feeding the monks and the monks are helping the people make merit, when you refuse to accept, you have broken the bond that has tied them for centuries together.

The country’s two largest and most established institutions, the monkhood and the military, were facing each other, both made up of about 500,000 strong young men. Tens of thousands of Burmese people led by these monks took to the streets of Rangoon demanding for change. The Buddhist monks, hold nothing but non violent and loving kindness, had no way of resisting soldiers with guns. The military junta in Burma views religion as a threat to its sovereignty. Rejected by both its spiritual and moral bases, the junta that has ruled for 19 years had little to fall back on but force. It unleashed its troops to shoot, beat, arrest and kill the saffron-robed monks. Soldiers surrounded monasteries; preventing monks from leading further demonstrations — or from making their morning rounds to collect the alms that feed them.

The military generals had embarked on a campaign of violence against Buddhist monks. In retribution for leading protest marches, monks were beaten and arrested, many monks were disrobed, and several monasteries were raided, ransacked, and closed. Currently, there are more than 2000 political prisoners in Burma.

A U.N. investigator revealed that at least 31 people were killed, but anti-junta groups have said that close to 200 lives were lost. The junta grip on power has never been secure. They have ruled through a force that keeps order through intimidation. They have held the pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest for 12 of the last 18 years. Crack down on democracy activists continue everyday by arresting dissidents, interrogate, torture and put them in prison.

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Burma Democratic Concern (BDC), Free Burma Project (FBP) and “The House of Peace and Nonviolence” today call for the EU to support the people for genuine democratization in Burma.

EU special envoy on Burma, Mr. Piero Fassino, wrote the article Elezioni in Birmania, l'impegno dell'UE per scardinare il regime which is published in
http://www.lastampa.it/_web/cmstp/tmplRubriche/editoriali/gEditoriali.asp?ID_blog=25&ID_articolo=7714&ID_sezione=&sezione= on 17 August 2010 saying that junta’s planned 2010 elections are the start of the democracy which is in reality totally opposite.

“It is very worrying that even the EU special envoy on Burma could easily fall into junta’s lies. It is not the election but the show-case for the junta to shed its skin. It is also clearly showing that EU must be informed more of what is actually happening on the ground in Burma”, said U Myo Thein, the Director of the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) in United Kingdom.

The people of Burma have been suffering under one of the world's most brutal and repressive regime. Freedom of expression and freedom of association are non-existent and Burmese citizens are denied any state in the shaping of their future.

“Our past experiences taught us that regime won’t give up the power easily and they will take ultimate force to crush all the dissidents to cling onto power. Junta is setting up everything to make sure to win their own proxy party, Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) headed by these very generals”, said U Khin Maung Win, the Director of the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) in United States.

Burma's economic crisis continues to deepen under military rule. People earn on a wage of around $1 a day.

Unemployment is rising dramatically every month while prices of consumer goods are escalating out of control. In Burma, people face complete lack of access to basic social services such as health services, and water sanitation.

“We do not recognize junta's seven steps road map. This is the true desire of Burmese people coming from the bottom of our hearts and the results of the 1990 general elections must be implemented accordingly”, said Daw Khin Aye Aye Mar, the Patron of the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC).

Under the military generals, poverty has soared and corruption is growing. In Burma, power is centred on the ruling junta--the State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC--which maintains strict authoritarian rule over the people of Burma.

“Military regime promised to hand over the power to elections wining party after the 1990 elections but when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's party, NLD, won landslide victory; junta refuses to transfer power. Now, again, these very generals who rule the country since 1988 declared to hold new elections in 2010 without honouring 1990 elections results. The point here is how we can trust the junta which ignores to respect the people's true will”, added U Tint Swe Thiha, the Patron at the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC).

Military rule will be legitimized under the constitution which adopted unilaterally in which 25% of the parliamentary seats are reserved for soldiers who will be appointed directly by commander in chief of the military.

“Election laws are undemocratic and unjust. They effectively bar Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from taking part in the elections and National League for Democracy (NLD) was automatically dissolved under the junta’s electoral laws for refusing to register for the elections. Without the participation of 1990 election winning parties including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led National League for Democracy (NLD), junta’s planned election is clearly not creditable”, said Johnny Diaz, the Director of the Free Burma Project (FBP).

If 1990 elections winning parties were agreeing to participate in junta’s planned sham 2010 elections -- it means self-defeating for democracy movement as well as it will be automatically adopted the regime's sham constitution which designed to perpetuate military rule in Burma.

“Rather than surrendering junta, the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led NLD chose not to participate in the elections. But it is equally true that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in the last democratic elections in 1990 (even then under arrest), was elected and she must be the prime minister of Burma as the leader of the winning party with more than 80% of the seats in parliament”, said Maurizio Somma, the President of “The House of Peace and Nonviolence” in Italy.

On 29 March 2010, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s party NLD unanimously decided not to re-register in accord with junta’s party registration laws. Addition, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi expresses her position in her famous “Six Points Analysis*” in rejecting party registration. On 19 August 2010, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led NLD officially announced that NLD is boycotting the junta’s planned sham election. The regime declares that fresh election will be held on 7 November 2010.

Take Action

Please write the letter to Mr Piero Fassio, the EU Special Envoy on Burma at piero.fassino@partitodemocratico.it requesting him not to endorse junta’s planned sham 2010 election, to reject junta’s sham 2008 constitution and to call for to implement 1990 election results.

For more information please contact

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)

• U Myo Thein [United Kingdom]
Phone: 00-44-208-493-9137, 00-44-787- 788-2386

• U Khin Maung Win [United States]
Phone: 001-941-961-2622

• Daw Khin Aye Aye Mar [United States]
Phone: 001 509 586 8309

• U Tint Swe Thiha [United States]
Phone: 001-509-582-3261, 001-509-591-8459

Free Burma Project (FBP)

• Johnny Diaz [United States]
Phone: 00-707-208-3126

The House of Peace and Nonviolence

• Maurizio Somma [Italy]
Phone: 00-39-348-130-7760, 00-39-081-871-9734

Notes to the Editor:

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 1990 Elections Results:

“If this country is to achieve genuine democracy, the result of the elections of 1990 must be recognized. The results of the 1990 General Elections must be implemented is a resolution already taken by the United Nations. It will be to the detriment of our country if after an election has been held the results are not honoured and we do not resist attempts to trivialise it”.

*Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Six Points Analysis:

1. I will uphold the “Shwe-Gone-Daing Declaration@” and I don’t accept the 2008 Constitution
2. I will continue struggling for democratisation of Burma
3. I believe that NLD is neither my property nor anyone else
4. I don't accept any attempt creating factions within the NLD
5. I don't accept the junta's undemocratic and unjust political party registration law
6. I don’t believe that NLD is abolished even if it is dissolved by the military regime

@ “Shwe-Gone-Daing” Declaration

• To release of all political prisoners
• To hold a political dialogue

To review the Constitution
To recognize 1990 election results

To download PDF file here

PRESS RELEASE

Burma: EU must support people but not junta (23 Aug 2010)

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC): Good News for Burmese Refugees in Malaysia (21 Aug 2010)

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) welcomes Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led NLD’s decision to boycott junta’s planned sham 2010 election (19 Aug 2010)

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC): “YES WE CAN” take decisive action (13 Aug 2010)

Honoring Martyrs of Burma: Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) (19 July 2010)

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