Global Justice for Burma

Global Justice Centre, New York in partnership with Ritinjali, New Delhi organized an awareness generation event to call for justice in Burma on 8 th August, 2008 at Gulmohar Hall , India Habitat Centre, New Delhi .

The event was organized on the same day the Olympics started (8 th August being the first day of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the twentieth anniversary of the 8-8-88 protests and massacres by military leaders in Burma) to unite the global community that has mobilized around the issue of Burma over the past year to provide a clear message and call to action for ending military rule in Burma.

Global Justice Centre and Ritinjali believe that it is our responsibility, as part of the global community, to initiate discussion and raise awareness about the situation in Burma- especially in the wake of Cyclone Nargis as well as the crackdown on the monks protests in September 2007- to build political will to bring the leaders in Burma to justice.

Background about the situation in Burma

The peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations - often referred to as the 8-8-88 uprising - were brutally put down by the military regime in Burma, with over 3000 people being killed and many more forced to flee the country.

Now is a particularly crucial time for democracy in Burma . Twenty years have elapsed. The events of the last few months, especially the sham referendum in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, have made it abundantly clear that the regime has total disregard for human rights and dignity. In September last year, as a result of increasing exasperation and poverty, the people of Burma , led by Buddhist monks, took to the streets in peaceful protests. This "Saffron Revolution'' was met by brute force, and numerous monks and civilians were killed, and thousands were incarcerated. Again, many were forced to flee the country. In addition, other serious abuses, including extrajudicial killings, custodial deaths, disappearances, rape, and torture continue to be committed.

Tale of terror

Speakers for the evening

•  Abby Goldberg, Director of Development and Communications at the Global Justice Centre

•  Cheery Zahau, Women's League of Chinland

•  Monk Ashin Aggadahja, leading member of the International Burmese Monks Organization

•  Youdoun Aukatsang, Member , Tibet Parliament in Exile

The evening saw very distinguished speakers who shared their concern at ongoing systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Burma .

Mr. Arun Kapur, Chairperson of Ritinjali, set the tone for the evening by sharing his ideas and concerns on the culture of repression prevalent world over.

Mr. Kapur Addressing the audience

In her key note address, Abby Goldberg, Director of Development and Communications at the Global Justice Centre talked about criminal accountability in Burma . She emphasized the fact,"It is becoming clearer to the international community that it will be difficult to communicate and negotiate with the military junta which is committing genocide in Burma ." Explaining that the international justice mechanisms were developing and there was hope for the Burmese people, she said: "We believe that no exceptions can be made to justice. Whatever has been happening will have to be accounted for.”

Ms. Abby Goldberg Addressing the audience

The next speaker, Cheery Zahau, who works with the Women's League of Chinland, Mizoram, spoke about the ongoing crimes by the military regime towards women and how the women are organising to overcome them. Providing testimony to several reports of oppression and sexual harassment of women in Burma , Cheery, a Burmese refugee who left her country in 1999 at 17, cited many such cases. Earlier this year, she has made presentations at the parliaments in UK and US and also the United Nations. Cheery ended her address by urging the Indian government to support the cause of Burma , "I know the Indian people sympathise with us, but we also want you to write to your government to take note of our plight. India should support us in the name of democracy and freedom."

Ms. Cheery Zahau Addressing the audience

Monk Ashin Aggadahja, a leading member of the International Burmese Monks Organization, taking forward Cheery's appeal, said: "I urge everyone to punish those who grossly violate human rights." Monk Ashin spoke about the role of monk's as a political force in Burma and outside. He also voiced how monks have been organizing to change the situation in Burma especially after the crackdown by the military regime last September on peaceful demonstrators led by the monks.

Monk. Ashin Aggadahja Addressing the audience

Subsequently, a video based on the Burmese struggle was screened which was a call for justice and humanity. The video pressed on the need for strong mobilisation of the international community to extend support for a democratic and free Burma . This video was originally conceived as a way to engage with the 400,000 person facebook group which formed in just two weeks last year, called “Support the Monks Protest in Burma ”.  Thanks to the Burma Global Action Network, this video is the first time ever that the Monks engaged with this group of almost half a million people globally.  

Striking a common cause with the Burmese people, the last speaker of the evening, Youdoun Aukatsang, one of the youngest members elected to the 14th house of the Tibet Parliament in Exile, expressed her solidarity and support for the Burmese. Focussing on the commonalities between the people of Tibet and Burma , she said, "We are neighbours, we share so many things - our religion, the repression, the torture, and even the refugee experience. It is a state-sponsored terrorism being carried out to destroy our culture, our very being."

Ms. Youdoun Aukatsang Addressing the audience

The event brought together members of the Burmese community, global human rights organizations, and other activist and creative communities. The address by the speakers was followed by a lively discussion and questions/comments from the audience. All the people gathered there unanimously agreed to form an active, living community that confronts and overcomes all forms of repression and oppression. The evening ended with a consensus: What we want are lives worth living, lives of dignity and autonomy. We have faith in justice, in freedom, and in human dignity. Justice will come…

The audience

Live discussion between speakers and audience

The evening ended with the signing of postcards to call on the UN Security Council to hold the Burmese junta accountable for atrocities against civilians in Burma. The signed postcards will be handed over to Indian Foreign Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, to urge the Indian government to pressure the United Nations' Security Council to end impunity for General ThanShwe.

Partcipants dropping the signed postcards

Moments of the event