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Burmese, Others Honor Daw Suu on Bi
- Subject: Burmese, Others Honor Daw Suu on Bi
- From: ncgub@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 20 Jun 1995 07:52:00
Merit-Making for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
-------------------------------------
The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma,
organizations representing nationality groups in Burma, democracy
and human rights organizations, and members of the Burmese
community gathered at the Buddhist Vihara in Washington, DC, at
11:00 am on June 19 1995 to commemorate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's
50th birthday. The ceremony was also attended by guests from the
State Department, the NGOs and the National Endowment for
Democracy as well as a Voice of America correspondent there to
cover the event.
Monks, chanting prayers for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and for Burma,
prayed that the Burmese people be freed from tyranny. This was
followed by the lay people reciting Buddhist prayers and wishing
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi well. They also offered food and alms to the
monks.
A buffet lunch was also provided for the guests and the lay
people.
Organizations represented at the ceremony were the National League
for Democracy (Liberated Area), the Committee for Restoration of
Democracy in Burma, the Democratic Burmese Students Organization,
the Foundation for Democracy in Burma, the Laime Association, the
Shan State Association (USA), the United Front for Human Rights
and Democracy in Burma.
Candlelight Vigil
-----------------
At 08:30pm on June 19, 1995, members of the National Coalition
Government joined student leaders, members of the Burmese
organizations and community and representatives of different
organizations at a candlelight vigil in front of the Burmese
Embassy in Washington, D.C. to pray for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
protest the ongoing injustices in Burma.
Slogans were chanted and speeches were delivered in Burmese and
English by different representatives, including U Bo Hla Tint; U
Win Khet of the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area); U
Tin Maung Thaw, chairman of the Committee for the Restoration of
Democracy in Burma; and student leaders.
U Caui (U Kya Oo) of the Overseas Lahu Development Organization;
U Roland of the Chin Youth Organization, and U Saw Kapi of the
Karen Youth Organization also delivered speeches in Lahu, Chin and
Karen, respectively.
The vigil ended at 09:30pm with a song dedicated to the release of
the detained national leader-- "Free Aung San Suu Kyi."
Students Campaign
-----------------
The Democratic Burmese Students Organization officially opened its
campaign month at 11:45am on June 19, 1995 with the organizers, Ko
Yin Aye and Ko Nyi Nyi Lwin, unfurling banners in front of the
Longworth House Office Building calling for sanctions against the
Burmese military junta and for the U.S. Congress to take tougher
action to free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The campaign, according to
the organizers, is to raise the awareness of the American public
about Burma.
The students distributed pamphlets and answered questions from
passers-by about Burma.