Burma protests across the world mark Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday

To commemorate Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64th birthday on 19 June (her 14th in detention), local and Burmese citizens will be holding protests and events in over 20 cities across the world, calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the 2,156 political prisoners currently held in Burma/Myanmar. The protesters will also be calling on the UNSC to step up the pressure on the military regime by establishing a global arms embargo on Burma/Myanmar.

Aung San Suu Kyi is currently being prosecuted by the authorities in Burma/Myanmar for violating the terms of her house arrest, after an American man swam across a lake to visit her house in early May. For this, she faces up to five years imprisonment.

Paul McCartney and others add their voices:
Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono and other celebrities will be making special 64-word statements commemorating Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday. These statements will be available at www.64forSuu.org . Other celebrities that have sent messages include George Clooney, David Beckham, Julia Roberts, Daniel Craig and Richard Branson. Stephen Fry, Eddie Izzard, Kevin Spacey and Sarah Brown have been “tweeting” about the campaign.

Iconic new image pays tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi:
The international protests and events will be using a new image of Aung San Suu Kyi released to mark her 64th birthday. A high resolution version of the image is available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39385533@N03/sets/72157619730230177/detail/

Protests and events include:

Bangkok: 1pm – 5pm Friday 19 June
Public forum on: ‘Democracy in Burma? The Answer is Blowing in the Wind’
Thammasat University. Tha Phrachan Campus – Room 301 Liberal Arts

London: 1pm – 2pm Friday 19 June
Demonstration at the Burmese embassy, 19A Charles St London W1J 5DX, including speeches by:
- Venerable Monk U Uttara (International Buddhist Monk Organisation)
- Wai Hnin (daughter of Burmese political prisoner Ko Mya Aye)

Prague: 5pm Thursday 18 June
Gathering at Na Kampě , Prague
Life lettering (from protesters’ bodies) of the words: FREE SUU KYI!

Sydney: 10.30am Thursday 18 June
Morning tea at NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney
Speeches by leading female NSW parliamentarians and Burmese women

Taipei: 7pm – 9pm
Music concert and the release of the CD ‘Free Burma’ at Jhonghe Park No.4, Taipei

Tokyo: 5pm Friday 19 June
Religious ceremony and candlelight vigil
United Nations University Headquarters Building, 5-53-70, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku

Kuala Lumpur: 8pm to 10pm Friday 19 June
Gathering at Taman Jaya (near Amcorp mall) with live music performances and speeches

New York: 1pm to 4pm 20 June 2009
Gathering at 777, United Nations Plaza, 10th Floor, 44th St. & 1st Ave.

Full event listings are available at http://64forsuu.com/events.php. The protests, events and image are part of the www.64forSuu.org campaign, which is supported by:
Altsean-Burma
Amnesty International
Article 19
Austrian Burma Center
Avaaz
Burma Action Ireland
Burma Campaign Australia
Burma Campaign UK
Burma Info Japan
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
English Pen
Free Burma Campaign (South Africa)
Human Rights Watch
Info Birmanie (France)
International Peace Bureau
Not On Our Watch
Norwegian Burma Committee
Open Society Institute
Trade Union Congress
People in Need (Czech Republic)
People in Peril (Slovakia)
US Campaign for Burma

Editors notes:

For more information and interview requests please contact Marianna Brungs, +44 7534 990 178, marianna.brungs@crisisaction.org
Available interviewees:
- Zoya Phan, author of Little Daughter: A Memoir of Survival in Burma and the West
- Venerable Monk U Uttara, International Buddhist Monk Organisation
- Wai Hnin, daughter of Burmese political prisoner Ko Mya Aye
- Mark Farmaner, Director, Burma Campaign UK
- Haider Kikhaboy, Burma campaigner, Amnesty International
- Elaine Pearson, Deputy Asia Director, Human Rights Watch