AUNG SAN SUU KYI MONTH, 19 JUNE --

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Subject: AUNG SAN SUU KYI MONTH, 19 JUNE -- 20 JULY (fwd)



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Date: Thu, 25 May 1995 14:58:49 -0700

FREE SUU KYI, FREE BURMA
An international campaign which is seeking, by nonviolent means, 
TO OBTAIN THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE 
AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS IN BURMA.
 
 
Dear Friends,                                                    
 
25 May 95 
 
We invite you to participate in a month-long decentralised
CAMPAIGN FOR THE UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI 
BY THE 11TH JULY.
 
There have been proposals for actions around either the 19TH
JUNE, which is Aung San Suu Kyi's 50th birthday; the 19TH JULY,
Martyrs' Day; or the 20TH JULY, the 6th anniversary of her
detention. We would like to add another date, the 11TH JULY, to
the menu. This is the expiry date of Suu Kyi's current detention
order. Rather than using just one day, we suggest using them all,
as focal points of a month-long campaign.The period from now till
the 19th June can be used for preparation.
 
NB this framework is based on experience of campaigning in
Western countries and should be adapted to different situations
-- those working in Asian or Latin American countries, for
instance, or individuals with no group support, have 
different opportunities, and should just take what seems useful
from the enclosed suggestions.  We have enclosed a section with
suggestions on individual action.
 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
David Arnott  (Coordinator, Free Suu Kyi, Free Burma; Secretary,
Burma Peace Foundation)
 
 
AUNG SAN SUU KYI MONTH, 19 JUNE-20 JULY 1995 
 
IDEAS FOR ACTION
 
Please put this document out on your networks, copy it to other
organisations and individuals by fax, email and snailmail; print
or insert it in your magazines and newsletters; use its contents
in your print or broadcast output. As well, of course, as taking
the kind of action suggested below. 
 
FREE SUU KYI, FREE BURMA proposes that the month from Aung San
Suu Kyi's 50th birthday, the 19TH JUNE, to the 6th anniversary of
her arrest and detention, the 20TH JULY, be dedicated to
intensive international campaigning for Suu Kyi's unconditional
release, and the start of a genuine political process in Burma. 
 
The campaign, which will have no central coordination,  should
call for Suu Kyi's release by the 11TH JULY,  when her detention
order expires. Another important date in this period is the 19TH
JULY, when, in 1989,  Suu Kyi called off a rally that might have
led to confrontation with the army and subsequent bloodshed.
 
 
AUNG SAN SUU KYI MONTH 
19 June  Launch
11 July  Target day
11-20 July Follow-up action
 
 
GOALS:  
 
A. To make the question: "Will they let her go by the 11th July?"
a major world issue. 
 
B. To get influential bodies to use their strongest means to
persuade SLORC to:  
     
     * Release Aung San Suu Kyi unconditionally by the 11th July
     * Begin a genuine political process in Burma
      
C. To extend and consolidate local, national and international
Burma networks/action
 
 
TARGETS:  
 
* SLORC 
* The UN Secretary-General
* Regional organisations like ASEAN, SAARC, APEC, and the EU
* Governments and other influential bodies 
* The media
* International public opinion
 
 
THE OPPORTUNITY
 
* The 19TH JUNE is Aung San Suu Kyi's 50th birthday. On the 11TH
JUNE her detention order  expires, and her jailers have not yet
devised a pretext for continuing to hold her. The 19TH JULY is
the anniversary of the day when, in 1989 Suu Kyi called off a
mass rally to avoid bloodshed.  The 20TH JULY will be the 6th
anniversary of her arrest and detention.  
 
* At present the Burmese generals are more unpopular regionally
and internationally than at any time since 1988. This is due to
the breakdown of talks between them and Aung San Suu Kyi, the
offensive against the KNU, and the subsequent incursions into
Thailand. There are now more calls than ever from people in
Thailand,  India and Japan for a change to their governments'
"softly, softly" policy of Constructive Engagement, which clearly
isn't working.
 
Given this combination of elements, the next two months, if used
well, could see the mobilisation of international pressure strong
enough to obtain the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the 
initiation of a genuine political process in the country.
 
 
TO INDIVIDUALS
 
Although many of the actions described below require expertise,
group organisation and money, it is small actions taken by
individuals and families inside Burma and in the outside world,
that can make the critical difference and lead to the freedom of
Suu Kyi and Burma. Join in any group actions you can, but also
use the section "what individuals can do".
 
 
STRATEGY
 
To fill the month with a series of actions directed at the prime
targets listed above. As a way to structure the month and attract
particular kinds of groups, the four dates could be made to
highlight different aspects of Suu Kyi's detention and the
situation in Burma:
 
The 19TH JUNE: highlighting SUU KYI HERSELF, as mother, daughter,
wife, writer, meditator, martyr etc. Being the first day of the
campaign, all the themes and groups could be drawn in.
ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS:  All; but specifically Buddhist
and other religious organisations; students; the popular media;
youth groups; artists' groups etc.   
 
 
The 11TH JULY: Highlighting the ILLEGALITY OF SUU KYI'S
DETENTION, and by  extension the ILLEGALITY of SLORC. As we know
from its efforts with the National Convention, its self-image as
the "legal (sic) fold" etc, SLORC is obsessed with bootstrapping
and boring itself into "legitimacy" ("what I tell you 33,000
times is true"). A major campaign goal would be to get
governments, especially Burma's neighbours and Japan, ASEAN, the
Non-Aligned Movement, APEC, and countries that can influence
SLORC, to press the generals very strongly to release Suu Kyi by
the 11th July.   
ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS:  Women's groups;  human rights
groups; peace groups; political parties; trade unions; academics;
law students and law associations; those sections of the media
dealing with such issues. 
 
 
The 19TH JULY: Highlighting SUU KYI'S COMMITMENT TO NON-VIOLENCE
(on this day in 1989 she called off a mass rally in order to
avoid confrontation with the army and possible bloodshed). This
day is also celebrated as Martyr's day, when her father and his
cabinet were assassinated in 1947.Though there is no direct
"ethnic" dimension to this day, it can serve to remind people of
SUU KYI'S COMMITMENT TO HER FATHER'S VISION OF A FEDERAL BURMA,
in which the non-Burman nationalities maintain their political
and cultural integrity. This vision can be contrasted with
SLORC's plan for a unitary, Burman-dominated State. 
ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS:  All;  especially peace groups,
groups working  for indigenous peoples, ecological groups --
SLORC's ecocide is mainly in non-Burman areas; and groups
opposing corporate investment in Burma.
 
 
The 20TH JULY: 
 
Highlighting SUU KYI AS A POLITICAL LEADER, and by extension the
POLITICAL AND OTHER FORMS OF REPRESSION carried out by SLORC, --
including the slaughter and oppression of the non-Burman peoples
as well as of democracy activists; torture; forced labour;
arbitrary detention, racial and religious discrimination; the
denial of the popular will expressed in the 1990 elections, etc.
0RGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS:  All the above groups;
pro-democracy and solidarity groups of all kinds; religious
groups, including Buddhist and Muslim organisations; those
development agencies which regret that they cannot work in
Burma without reinforcing the regime that causes the humanitarian
crisis; former anti-Apartheid activists. 
 
 
Each of these dates can therefore be made to symbolise particular
issues, drawing in different local, national, regional and 
international communities, if this is useful in your particular
situation. The Burma support community can provide different
materials and briefings for the different interested groups,
including those supporting groups of Free Suu Kyi, Free Burma
which are not expert on Burma. These groups in turn have their
own allies, networks, outlets and ways of working.
 
 
TIMETABLE
 
FROM NOW TO THE 19TH JUNE (Preparation): Contact all potential
allies (eg local and national human rights groups, peace groups,
women's groups and others suggested above); have brainstorming
sessions with them and form local and national campaign
committees where appropriate. Prepare materials including press
packs, (different kinds for different audiences). Fundraise for
specific projects like newspaper advertisements or to buy TV or
radio time. Contact public figures who could endorse, help launch
or participate in the campaign. Ask musicians to dedicate
performances to Suu Kyi (a famous cellist has already done this).
Plan actions around (the launch of) John Boorman's film "Beyond
Rangoon" (to be released in June in the UK, other dates for other
countries). Approach the broadcast media (some of which have
programming deadlines of several months) with proposals for
programmes, offers of information, speakers, photos, video
footage etc..  Start writing letters, articles and op-eds for
print media serving different audiences. Propose elements for
statements by heads of  State and Presidents of regional
organisations (eg EU, ASEAN). Check deadlines for Congressional
or parliamentary resolutions, and work with the appropriate
people to draft language for these. Identify relevant conferences
-- local, national and international (there are lots of women's
meetings for the Beijing conference in September, for instance)
and get Suu Kyi and Burma on the agenda). Book space for public
meetings, prepare speakers, publicity, etc. etc.
 
 
19TH JUNE-11TH JULY (Implementation, 1st stage): Launch the
campaign proper on the 19th June,  Suu Kyi's 50th birthday (which
is also Burmese mothers' day), in a media blitz with public
figures, press conferences, demonstrations etc.. Have
increasingly frequent articles appear in the press, and
programmes on TV and radio. Hold public meetings. Send letters
and faxes to governments (including SLORC), the UN,
parliamentarians, newspapers and so on. Meet parliamentarians
and government officials, and have them act (have ideas ready as
to what they could do). Continue to prepare the 2nd stage of
implementation. 
 
11TH-20TH JULY (Implementation, 2nd stage): If in spite of all
this,  Suu Kyi is not free by the 11th July, this period (which
includes a weekend ) can be for intensive campaigning at local 
and national level, with sitting vigils, fasts, public meetings,
press conferences etc . 
 
FOLLOW-UP:  Retain and develop the networks and alliances formed
during the campaign.  If enough people emerge in a particular
region, they could form a Burma Action Group (contact BAG UK for
suggestions). Learn from the South African experience in building
grassroots support.
 
 
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 11TH OF JULY 
(The other dates are too well-known to need explanation)
 
SLORC was very reluctant to tell Aung San Suu Kyi the expiry date
of her detention order, and only showed her the order 6 weeks
after deciding on it. It seems that, despite their well-known
creativity in this area, the generals are having difficulty
dreaming up a pretext for continuing to hold her. Are they
unwilling to have international attention drawn to this date and
the illegal and arbitrary nature of her detention?*
 
 The date was made public by the UN through the person of
Professor Yozo Yokota, the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar of the
UN Commission on Human Rights. On 23 February 1995, in his oral
report to the Commission,  he stated that: 
 
"... I must express my disappointment that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
who has been under house arrest since 20 July 1989, has not yet
been released. I now understand that her detention has been
further extended for six months from 10 January to 11 July 1995.
This decision was taken by the Council of Ministers on 14
December 1994, though the order was only shown to her finally on
29 January 1995. ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN INTERPRETATION
OF ITS ALTERED LAW, applied to her with retroactive effect, SHE
CANNOT CONTINUE TO BE HELD BEYOND 11 JULY 1995 , by which time
she will have been detained without trial for six years."
(emphasis added)
 
Despite SLORC's coyness about revealing it, the date of the 11th
July is now known; a number of governments and international
organisations are already strategising around this date. The
United Nations was the first to announce it, and although we can
assume that the Secretary-General is pursuing the issue with
vigour, a little encouragement would do no harm.  
 
THE 11TH JULY IS THEREFORE THE DATE WHICH SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED
IN MESSAGES TO THE UN, REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND THE OTHER
TARGET BODIES, URGING THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE PRESSURE ON SLORC.
STRONG BUT POLITE MESSAGES TO SLORC AS WELL.
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
* The principal authority on such matters, the Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention of the UN  Commission on Human Rights, ruled
in 1992, in Decision No.8/1992 (Myanmar) that: 
 
"The detention of U Nu and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is declared to be
arbitrary, being in contravention of articles 9, 10, 11, 19 and
20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and articles 9,
14, 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights and falling within categories II and III of the
principles applicable in the consideration of the cases submitted
to the Working Group".
 
 
STATUS OF THIS DOCUMENT AND THE PROPOSED CAMPAIGN
 
This document, which has been produced in consultation with a
number of groups and individuals, including the NCGUB, is being
posted in various places on the Internet, with requests to
cross-post, put out through a number of fax networks, and sent to
the 90 or so organisations which have endorsed Free Suu Kyi, Free
Burma. We hope  it will provide a rough framework and a number of
useful ideas for action. Any individual or organisation with
further ideas is invited to put them out over the Internet or the
phone, fax or snailmail networks.  
 
Groups or individuals planning activities should communicate with
others at local and national level, using phone, fax, email and
other channels (there might be danger of overload if all actions
were posted on Burmanet). An updated version of the Burma Peace
Foundation's "Suppliers and Users of Information on Burma" will 
be posted on Burmanet and mailed out to a number of groups, to
facilitate communication. )
 
THERE IS NO PLAN OR NEED TOF CENTRAL ORGANISATION OR COORDINATION
OF THE CAMPAIGN. GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS SHOULD TAKE WHATEVER
IDEAS THEY CAN USE FROM THIS PROPOSAL AND OTHER SUGGESTIONS THAT
WILL NO DOUBT FOLLOW FROM OTHER SOURCES, AND ACT. SOON.
 
 
WHAT INVIVIDUALS CAN DO
 
Many of the actions suggested above can be carried out by
individuals without group support, but here are some other ideas:
 
1) Send messages by letter, postcard, fax, phone, email, telex,
personal visit, to the principal targets listed above, where
accessible,  asking for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi by the
11th July, and the restoration of democracy and other human
rights in Burma.  Messages to SLORC can be sent directly, or c/o
the Burmese Ambassador in your country ("Embassy of Myanmar"). 
 
2) Send the same or similar messages to your own government or
parliamentary representative.
 
3) Send copies of your message to your local and national press. 
 
4)  Make copies of this Free Suu Kyi, Free Burma  document and
give them to other people.
 
5) If you belong to any of the supporting groups of Free Suu Kyi,
Free Burma (see enclosed list), encourage them to act on a local
level as well as nationally and internationally.
 
 
ANNEXES (to be posted on the net later if not attached)
 
* BPF's "Suppliers and Users of Information on Burma"  May 1995 
 
* List of supporting organisations of Free Suu Kyi, Free Burma
 
* Multi-addressed model appeal (MAMA!)
 
* Elements for editorials, op-eds etc (in preparation).
 
* Recent statements  by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 
 
* Recent UN and other references to Aung San Suu Kyi
 
* Extracts from recent reports by human rights organisations 
 
* Extracts from the current US State Department's Country Report
on Burma
 
* How young people can help Burma
 
 
LIST OF SUPPORTING GROUPS OF FREE SUU KYI, FREE BURMA
 
Free Suu Kyi, Free Burma, was founded in 1991. The 90 or so
groups supporting the campaign have a total membership of several
hundred million. 
 
Supporters include: [Nobel Peace Laureates: Mairead Maguire,
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Linus Pauling, Bernard Lown, MD
(International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War),
Elie Wiesel, Adolfo Perez Esquival, International Peace
Bureau, The American Friends Service Committee], Ven. Dr Rewata
Dhamma, Congressman Gilman, Congressman Solarz, Congressman
Solomon, Prof. Robert Thurman, Achaan Sulak Sivaraksa, Robin
Morgan, Jim Lester MP, Kumar Rupasinghe, Rene Wadlow, Vimala
Thakar, Bishop Trevor Huddleston CR, Cora Weiss,  Aye Aye Thant,
Joan Baez, Jakob Von Uexkull, Peter Matthiessen, Chandra
Muzaffar, Joanna Macy, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Frank Ortega.
Organizations: Burma Peace Foundation, National Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma,  Karuna Center, Buddhist Peace
Fellowship, Fellowship of Reconciliation, International
Fellowship of Reconciliation, Amnesty International USA,  Pax
Christi, Synapses, Canadian Friends of Burma, International Human
Rights Law  Group, Nonviolence International, International
Center (Washington DC), Institute for Asian Democracy, Burma
Review, United Methodist Office for the UN, Committee for the
Restoration of Democracy in Burma, Congressional Human Rights
Foundation, Campaign for Peace and Democracy, Baptist Peace
Fellowship, Orthodox Peace Fellowship, Disciples Peace
Fellowship, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom,
USA, Burmese Relief Center-Japan, Buddhist Relief Mission,
International Network of Engaged Buddhists, International
Network of Engaged Buddhists-Japan, Episcopal Peace Fellowship,
Burma Action Group-UK, National Council of the  Churches of
Christ in the USA (Human Rights Office, Southern Asia Office,
Ecumenical Networks),  World Conference on Religion and Peace,
Brethren Peace Fellowship, World Peacemakers, Foundation for
Democracy in Burma, Burma Project (USA), International Women's
Tribune Centre,Transnational Perspectives, International Network
for Burma Relief, International Organisation for the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, International Campaign for
Tibet, International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Burma
Project (Thailand), Action Committee for Democracy in Burma,
Overseas National Students' Organisation of Burma, Sojourners,
Gray Panthers, Article 19, Association France-Birmanie, War
Resisters League, PEN American Center, Associates to Develop
Democratic Burma (Burma Alert), International League for Human
Rights, Humanitas International, Amnesty International (Japan),
International Women's Network for the Freedom of Aung San Suu
Kyi, International Union of Food and Allied Workers'
Associations, Church Women United,  International Network of
Engaged Buddhists, Postal, Telegraph and Telephone International,
United Church Board for World Ministries (Southern Asia Office),
International Federation of Journalists, International Peace
Research Institute, Oslo, Public Services International,
International Centre for Law in Development, Gujrat Biradari,
Abhinav Bharat Foundation, Gujrat, South East Asia Fraternity,
Asia Resource Center (Washington DC), US Committee for Refugees,
Anti-Slavery International, Peace Action, Servants of the People
Society (India), International Transport Workers' Federation,
Association of World Citizens, Bombay Sarvodaya Friendship
Centre, Professor Thorolf Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, 
World Conference on Religion and Peace, Pakistan, Tribal Refugee
Welfare in South East Asia, Asian Students' Association,
Asia-Pacific Peoples' Forum on Peace and Development, Burmese 
Association in Japan, Asian Cultural Forum on Development,
Mennonite Central Committee, Burma Issues,  (formerly B.U.R.M.A),
The Australian Foundation for Democracy, The Australia Burma
Council, The Burma NGO Forum (Australia). (Inclusion in this list
does not involve any financial or legal liability for the
campaign or indicate any  relationship with the other groups or
individuals beyond support of the same campaign goal).
 
 
MULTI-ADDRESSED MODEL APPEAL (MAMA)
 
[Dear President/Prime Minister/Your Excellency (for Ambassadors)
etc 
 
The French/United States/Royal Thai/etc government  has supported
the consensus resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly
and the Commission on Human Rights which for several years have
called for the unconditional release of Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, detained without trial since 20 July 1989] 
 
 
[Dear Dr Boutros-Ghali
 
The  United Nations General Assembly and the Commission on Human
Rights have adopted consensus resolutions for several years
calling  for the unconditional release of Nobel Peace Prize
Winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, detained without trial since 20 July
1989.] 
 
Her current detention order expires on the 11th July, 1995. As
the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Professor Yozo Yokota,
informed the UN Commission on Human Rights in February of this
year,   
 
"... according to the [Burmese] government's own interpretation
of its own altered law ...  [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] cannot
continue to be held beyond 11 July 1995, by which time she will
have been detained without trial for six years ... ". 
 
Please do everything within your power to secure the
unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi by this date, and the
start of a genuine politicaal process in Burma. 
 
Yours sincerely......
 
 
SOME USEFUL ADDRESSES
 
Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary-General of the United
Nations, 38th Floor, UN Secretariat, New York, New York 10017,
USA 
 
Lt General Khin Nyunt, Secretary-1 of SLORC,  
Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Rd, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
 
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 56, University Ave, Rangoon, Burma
 
Mrs Lenz, Chair of European Parliament Sub-Committee for  Human
Rights European Parliament, Rue Belliard 97-113, 1047 Brussels,
Belgium
 
Mrs Daniella Napoli, Chef d'Unit, Human Rights Unit, European
Commission,Directorate-General 1, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049
Brussels, Belgium
 
 
 
BRIEF CHRONOLOGY OF SUU KYI'S DETENTION
 
20 JULY 1989: Suu Kyi placed under house arrest. The detention
order was extended each year. Whe the "legal" maximum of five
years was reached in 1994, SLORC said the first year did not
count and that they were entitled hold her for a further year.
The current detention order expires on 11 July 1995. 
 
MAY 1992: Her husband and sons allowed to visit. Visas were
granted until early 1995, when they were refused.
 
AUGUST 1994: Buddhist monk U Rewata Dhamma visits Suu Kyi and the
generals 20 SEPTEMBER 1994: First meeting between Suu Kyi and
SLORC leaders 
 
28 OCTOBER 1944: Second meeting between Suu Kyi and SLORC
 
23 JANUARY 1995: Release in Bangkok of Suu Kyi's statement that
she needs access to her colleagues before the discussions with
SLORC can go further.
 
 
                                 STATEMENT
 
 
It has always been the firm conviction of those working for
democracy in Burma that it is only through meaningful dialogue
between diverse political forces that we can achieve national
reconciliation, which is the first and most vital requirement for
a united and prosperous country.  That the international
community shares this view is evident from clause 5 of the
General Assembly resolution of December 1994 which encourages the
government of Burma to engage in "a substantive political
dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders,
including representatives from ethnic groups, as the best means
of promoting national reconciliation and the full and early
restoration of democracy".
 
It was in full acceptance of this view and with genuine good will
that I approached the meetings with members of the State Law and
Order Restoration Council on 20 September and 28 October 1994. 
There has not been and there will not be any secret deals with
regard either to my release or to any other issue.  I adhere to
the principle of accountability and consider myself at all times
bound by the democratic duty to act in consultation with
colleagues and to be guided by the aspirations of those engaged
in the movement to establish a truly democratic political system
in Burma.  I remain dedicated to an active participation in this
movement.
 
 
Aung San Suu Kyi
22 January 1995
Rangoon
Burma