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British Foreign Secretary William Hague met with Myo Yan Naung Thein

Bayda Institue attended by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Leaders

MEDIA TV NEWS

Question and answer with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) Supporting Kachin Brothers Calling for Peace

National League for Democracy (NLD) "Aung Par Say"

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC): Discussion on Economics

LISTEN AUDIO ONLINE

	BDC on William Hague Visit
	WHYS 30: The show is live from Rangoon in Burma today
	Sunday Talk with Ko Phyo Min Thein, Ko Myo Yan Naung Thein and Ko Soe Htun
	BDC welcomes Burma’s Patriotic Military Network (19 April 2011)
	BDC Met with Japanese Officials (05 Mar 2011)
	Differences in Japan and Burma Aids
	Sunday round table
	63rd anniversary of Burma’s Independence Day (04 Jan 2011)
	Shock Shi-Tae Music
	Myo Thein on RFA Burmese

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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	SAFFRON REVOLUTION
	PROMINENT LEADERS

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC): This is NOW Time that International Community MUST remove TOURISM, TRADE and INVESTMENT Sanction on Burma

18 January 2012

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) warmly welcomes the release of hundreds of political prisoners. According to the list of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD network inside Burma who are supporting prisoners and visiting prisons around the country -- the numbers are approximately nearest well documented by NLD that there are 591 political prisoners in Burma. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) welcomes the decision of the government to release the political prisoners according to the lists of NLD and we call for U Thein Sein regime to release all the rest of the political prisoners in accord with the NLD’s list of political prisoners.

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) also welcomes US Government decision to normalise diplomatic relation in response to Burma Government’s positive steps taken. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) encourages international community to engage more with Burma in order to balance China’s influence over Burma. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) truly believes that more engagement would effectively promote political, civil, democratic and economic freedom in Burma.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has already invited investment and tourism in Burma. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) would like to echo our leader’s call for investment and tourism in Burma. Please do invest in Burma and please do visit Burma. Burma is facing challenges ahead which we must address sensibly, wisely and realistically for her quest for democracy. Burma must resolve poverty, corruptions, poor technology, and lack of expertise, poor banking, unemployment and inflation and fiscal and monetary policies.

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) calls for investment in Burma which will significantly boost the welfare of the Burmese people. By removing investment and trade sanction on Burma, Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) truly believes that Burmese citizens will have the benefits of increased investment which can bring technology, knowledge and democratic values since outside investment strengthens private institutions. At the same time, Burma must work hard to end the economics monopoly and cronyism in Burma. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) welcomes tourists visiting Burma so as to promote ordinary Burmese people engaging with people from around the world.

Burma needs technology and financial assistance from international community to help rebuilding the nation after five decades of isolation and economics mismanagement. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) is very concerned that due to the sanction imposed on Burma as the subsequence crucial international aid are stopped delivering in Burma. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) calls for international community to provide more humanitarian assistance and development aid inside Burma and since in the past most of the US government's aid programme went to organisations based in Thailand. If there are obstacles blocking aids going inside Burma then we must remove them immediately since we don’t want to hurt the livelihood of the ordinary people of Burma whom are suffering from reputation risk. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) opposes anything hurting people.

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) is very sad to learn that Burma receives less foreign aid money than any country in Southeast Asia because of the sanction imposed on Burma. For example, in 2009-10 Burma receives only $US7.2 per capita of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) while neighbouring Laos received $US64.4. Particularly international community must remove all sanctions that block technical assistance in health and social welfare. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) is very shocked to learn that restrictions imposed by western countries prohibit assistance from reaching any member of the government because of which prohibit providing any assistance such as even providing training to teachers and health workers.

In particular, Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) calls for more assistance and international investment in education, social and health care in Burma. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) truly believes that Burmese people will be very happy if International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) could help tackling poverty in Burma since Burma needs financial and technological assistance from international community so as to address the immediate needs of the people and in the process of rebuilding Burma.

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) truly believes that Burma is on the right track for democratic change. In order to help reliving the suffering of the people of Burma, we must have common position amongst all parties concerned by putting national interest first. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) calls for international community to remove TOURISM, TRADE and INVESTMENT sanction on Burma in order to alleviate suffering of Burmese people who are suffering from REPUTATION RISK and to encourage Burmese government’s reform process which had already started.

For more information please contact Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) at

U Myo Thein [United Kingdom]
Director, Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)
Phone: 00-44-208-493-9137, 00-44-787- 788-2386

U Khin Maung Win [United States]
Director, Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)
Phone: 001-941-961-2622

Daw Khin Aye Aye Mar [United States]
Patron, Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)
Phone: 001 509-783-7223

U Tint Swe Thiha [United States]
Patron, Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)
Phone: 001-509-582-3261, 001-509-591-8459

PRESS RELEASE

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC): This is NOW Time that International Community MUST remove TOURISM, TRADE and INVESTMENT Sanction on Burma

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) warmly welcome the release of the political prisoners

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) seriously denounces the sham amnesty

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC): New Year Resolution

OBJECTIVES