FBCSA Statement on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday

By Free Burma Campaign South Africa • June 18, 2010

On the occasion of the 65^th birthday, the 19^th June 2010, of Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Laureate and Nelson Mandela’s fellow Elder, his younger Elder sister as such.

The Free Burma Campaign (South Africa)(FBC(SA)) would like to wish Aung San Suu Kyi a very happy birthday. While she has spent cumulatively almost fifteen years under house arrest she has been unwavering in her commitment to Burma’s freedom not only in the face of much hardship but even in the face of danger.

More so we would like to wish her and the peoples of Burma that they are freed and that she is able to take her rightful place as Burma’s leader.

As Archbishop Tutu one of our patrons has stated:

“One day we will come to Rangoon to join [Aung San Suu Kyi] when [she] is inaugurated as the true freely elected leader of Burma. Just as Nelson Mandela came out of jail and became our leader.”

Linked to her birthday an international postcard campaign was initiated by the Burma Partnership ( https://burmapartnership.net/ )asking people to call on their governments not to recognize the results of elections expected later this year which are widely regarded as lacking credibility. The UN Special Rapporteur on Burma Tomas Ojea Quintana himself has stated that under the current conditions where there are still political prisoners and an environment where people are unable to express their conscience the elections “cannot be considered credible”.

The FBC(SA) is distributing a South Africanized version of the postcards. Any organization wishing to help distribute these postcards (stamps included) can contact Dr. Thein Win on 072 838 6999 or e-mail: [email protected] or David Kramer 073 492 2304 or e-mail: [email protected]

A further important aspect of the UN Special Rapporteur’s report which cannot go unmentioned has been recommendation of a UN inquiry into referring Burma’s military regime to the International Criminal Court(ICC). His conclusion is based on reports which paint a consistent picture. One of the reports was by a number of eminent international jurists and published by the Human Rights Law Clinic at Harvard Law School which says there is a prima facie case that war crimes and crimes against humanity are occurring and that this justifies serious UN Security Council action.

Mr Quintana stated there was a “pattern of gross and systematic violation of human rights” in the country and that “the possibility exists that some of these human rights violations may entail categories of crimes against humanity or war crimes.”

He proposes a UN Security Council Inquiry into referring the matter to the ICC.

Four countries (Australia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the UK) so far have supported the call for the matter to be referred to the ICC.

So on the occasion of this Aung San Suu Kyi’s 65^th birthday: the FBC(SA) earnestly hopes that South Africa will join the call for Burma’s military rulers to be referred to the ICC.

Enquires: Dr. Thein Win, Chairperson 072 838 6999

This post is in: Uncategorized

FBCSA Statement on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday

About Burma Partnership

Spotlight

Campaigns