MAKATI CITY, June 19 — The serenade was led by Teatro Pabrika as more than 50 members of the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) marched towards the SPDC Myanmar Embassy in Makati City to mark the 63rd Birthday of democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma Women’s Day. In front of the march were women carrying a portrait of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, flowers and mock birthday gift boxes with her portrait and a slogan that says “Release Her.”
MAKATI CITY, June 19 — The serenade was led by Teatro Pabrika as more than 50 members of the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) marched towards the SPDC Myanmar Embassy in Makati City to mark the 63rd Birthday of democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma Women’s Day. In front of the march were women carrying a portrait of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, flowers and mock birthday gift boxes with her portrait and a slogan that says “Release Her.”
FBC-Phils. celebrated both Daw Suu’s birthday and Women of Burma Day. In between songs of freedom, messages of solidarity were expressed by representatives of various organizations. Bagong Kamalayan representative, Liza, called for a stop to systematic assault of women by the SPDC. “Women are raped, tortured and forced into labor as soldiers attack the villages. These have been systematically used by SPDC as weapons against innocent civilians”, she said. “When the women flee their villages and run to the borders, they are in grave danger of being abused as undocumented refugees; falling victims to trafficking and flesh trade”, Liza added.
Teatro Pabrika, a group of cultural workers from different factories, sang songs proclaiming human rights, women’s power and freedom for all, as FBC-Phils members join in chorus. Placards read “Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all women prisoners of conscience.” “Release all political prisoners.” “Respect the rights of women of Burma.” These slogans are also heard as people sang. Yuen Abana of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM- Workers’ Party) declared that the extension of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s house arrest- without any charges- as illegal and shows SPDC’s insincerity with their designed “roadmap to democracy”. She further called on the international community to pressure the junta to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners so that they can all participate in a meaningful dialogue for genuine democratization.
Same messages were echoed by other speakers. Same strength and solidarity were expressed in songs. A young guy in a crowd was also holding an empty but beautifully wrapped birthday gift box with Daw Suu’s portrait. He was asked by a passerby, “What’s inside the gift?” He answered back “Freedom. Freedom for all the people of Burma.”
{gallery}Burma/photos/dassk08{/gallery}
Recent Comments