Burma_humanrights3

** __Brief Political History of Burma __: **   __Aung San~__ To start, in late 1800 to early 1900, Burma was under British Colonial Rule. Seeing as to how the British were showing some ethnic favoritism, and that Burma was not an independant country, in the 1920's, the first protests of the Burmese citizens and monks began. These protests continued and by 1935, potential for a strong democratic movement began by the Student's Union of Rangoon University. A student named Aung San became the leader of this movement, receiving more and more support throughout all of Burma.Aung San worked to unify all of the ethnic minorities of Burma. However, during this effort for democracy, Aung San was murdered. Yet the work was not in vain; despite his death, Burma was declared independent in 1948.

__Ne Win~__    Despite the claim of democracy for Burma, this new government was constantly being attacked by communist and ethnic groups inside Burma. 10 years later, General Ne Win took control. Two years after he took control, in 1962 he established. his role as Dictator of Burma. Ne Win lost no time in closing off the country from the outside world and took tight control over individual towns. This slowly lead to the suffering and ruin of the Burmese people, culture and economy.

__Demonstration of 1988~__ However in July 1988, Ne Win announced he was stepping down from his position (due to health), and thousands of protesters/demonstrators saw this as an opportunity. The protesters took to the streets of Rangoon, hoping that the retirement of Ne Win would weaken the dictatorship that was in place and give the demonstration a better chance. Unfortunately, military troops and junta decided to take to the streets as well, starting a 4 day massacre on the people of Burma, killing over 10,000 demonstrator across the entire country.           __Aung San Suu Kyi~__         However that year was the begining of a new hope for the country. Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of Aung San,     <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> returned to her country of Burma to see its heartache and devastation. She decided to get involved politically. She was  <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> a big p   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> art in the establishment of the National League for Democracy (NLD). This new political party quickly gained t  <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> he nation's support. But because of her threatening success, the State Law  <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> and Order Restoration Council (S   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> LORC   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> ) placed Su   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> u Kyi under house arrest beginning in 1989. Yet as promised to the people of Burma, the SLO  <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> RC held elections in 1990 for the government. Suu Kyi's NLD won by a landslide. But, the SLORC decided not to acknowledge t  <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> his win, and stayed in repressive power. <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">  <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">
 * <span style="font-size: 160%; color: rgb(13, 9, 211)">__Current Affairs in Burma:__ **

__ Than Shwe~ __ Than Shwe is the "number one" of Burmese military junta, and because the junta are creating the turmoil and suffereing to Burma citizens, Shwe is giving the orders. Because the main goal of the junta and of Than Shwe is to   <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">     <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">  stay in power, it will take a lot to bring them down. Although there are often protests going on, they are not constant. Than Shwe has banned all freely reported news, including the death count from the Tsunami 4 years ago, which affected Burma. Than Shwe has also subjected his people to slave labor/labor camps, movement or exile, and poverty. He has also been known to have his junta enforce systematic rape, and preform ethnic cleansing of the smaller ethnic groups. <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif">    <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace"><span style="color: rgb(254, 54, 47)"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace"><span style="color: rgb(254, 54, 47)"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Lucida Console',Monaco,monospace"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif"><span style="font-family: Georgia,serif">   <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif"> __ Cyclones~ __ Another contributing factor to the hardships of the Burmese people are the recent cyclones that hit the country in May. 5 divisions in Burma were declared national disaster areas. However because of the governments tight hand, it has been hard to get support and aid to the people of Burma. So far, the death toll may be up to 130,000 people, but it is hard to tell because the government is so slow and hesitant to let help come in.

__**<span style="font-size: 180%; font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(22, 152, 16)">How Can You Help? **__  Here is a list of links of organizations that you can look at or get involved it:

U.S. Campaign for Burma: [|http://uscampaignforburma.org/index.php </span]>

Free Burma Rangers: [|http://www.freeburmarangers.org/</span]> Free Burma Coalition Mission: [|http://www.freeburmacoalition.org/</span]> Burma It Can't Wait: [|http://burmaitcantwait.org/burmaitcantwait/</span]> The Facebook Group: search "Burma: The Truth" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2240949259 This group has a lot of great links and videos and some pretty graphic but real photos as well. If you are interested in learning more, I recommend any of these sites or groups to visit.

Information From: http://www.cfob.org/HistoryofBurma/historyOfBurma.shtml

http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=10

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1991/kyi-bio.html

[|http://www.newint.org/columns/worldbeaters/2005/09/01/than_shwe/</span]>