Aung San Suu Kyi's sham trial verdict

As expected the corrupt regime is keeping Aung San Suu Kyi detained till after their rigged 2010 elections. Burma is the only country in the world with a detained Nobel Peace Prize winner, but there are also over 2,100 heroic political prisoners in Burma.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s trial has provoked a global outcry. World leaders, including Prime Minster Gordon Brown, President Obama and the UN Secretary General have all condemned the actions of the Burmese regime. Now we need to turn those words into real pressure. We are calling for a global arms embargo against Burma.

Please take action now, go to
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/arms-embargo

Also please sign the Avaaz.org petition for the United Nations Security Council to create a Commission of Inquiry to investigate and hold the Burmese regime to account for crimes against humanity.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/jail_the_generals/

The regime is directly defying the United Nations Security Council. 20 years of gentle UN diplomacy, including a visit earlier this month by the UN Secretary General himself, have failed to achieve any breakthrough. It is time the generals faced consequences for their actions, a global arms embargo should be imposed immediately.

Take Action Now

Please take action for a Global Arms Embargo, go to:

http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/arms-embargo

Please take action for investigating the regime's crimes against humanity

http://www.avaaz.org/en/jail_the_generals/


The main website for Burma's Political Prisoners:
http://www.fbppn.net/ - the campaign site
http://www.aappb.org/ - most of the news of political prisoners comes from APPB

Burma Protest over Total Oil at French Embassy

From Indymedia

Burmese democracy activists protest at the French Embassy about French Total Oil's collaboration with the brutal military junta as heroic democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi's show trial continues in Burma. The Nobel Peace Prize winner has previously condemned Total as "the biggest supporter of the military regime in Burma". French Total Oil funds the evil military regime with approximately 500 million dollars a year from its operation of the Yadana gas pipeline, that is used by the corrupt generals to slaughter ethnic minorities, students, monks and anyone who speaks out for human rights and justice in Burma.

About 30 Burmese Democracy activists organised a demonstration at the French Embassy against Total Oil at short notice on 22nd May, following renewed discussion in Europe concerning Total's notorious investment in Burma. The police were called as they had not been informed of the demonstration, but it was just intended to peacefully express Aung San Suu Kyi's Burmese democracy supporters wish for Total Oil to be included in any further extension of European sanctions and did not last long, as it followed a previous demonstration at the Burma Embassy.

This week France admitted that Total was the sole major European investor in Burma and that sanctions involving Total would be the only serious economic lever Europe had on the regime.

Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy party, won the 1990 elections with 82% of the vote, but the corrupt military would not honour their own elections. She has spent 13 of the last 18 years in detention. The United Nations has already said her detention is illegal by both international and the junta's own Burmese law. Her current term was due to expire on May 27th, but the cowardly junta with 400,000 soldiers is so afraid of one woman that they will do anything to keep her imprisoned ahead of their fake 2010 elections. They have already written a constitution that ensures their military rule continues and bars Aung San Suu Kyi from even participating.

There have been many statements of support for Aung San Suu Kyi by world leaders following the junta's latest stunt to imprison her and keep her from her Burmese people. However it is the world leaders themselves that are on trial, as their fine statements are put to the test. Will they do anything of consequence to help Aung San Suu Kyi and her people ?

Europe previously agreed not to include oil and gas in sanctions, so that sanctions could be escalated if needed. If Aung San Suu Kyi is further imprisoned as most expect, then Europe's bluff will have been called.


http://www.france24.com/en/20090520-french-oil-firm-would-be-hurt-myanmar-sanctions-minister
"If Europe imposes new sanctions on Myanmar's military regime they would hit the French energy giant Total's operations in the country and have far reaching consequences, France said Wednesday.

Speaking as EU countries mulled action against the junta over its treatment of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Total was the sole major European investor in the country.

"The only serious economic lever would obviously be Total," Kouchner told members of the French parliament"

HELP AUNG SAN SUU KYI - TAKE ACTION NOW
The United Nations and ASEAN must dispatch envoys to Burma to demand the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all Burma’s political prisoners.

Please go to this page where you can email the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and ASEAN leaders to urge them to send envoys immediately.
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/ASSK_action.html (if unavailable please try Avaaz:)
http://www.avaaz.org/en/free_aung_san_suu_kyi/96.php/?CLICK_TF_TRACK

As you know Burma’s generals will use any excuse to keep Aung San Suu Kyi detained. If strong action isn’t taken, Aung San Suu Kyi could face the rest of her life in jail.

Please take action now. Aung San Suu Kyi could now spend the rest of her life in jail. http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/ASSK_action.html

15th May Protest at Aung San Suu Kyi's Arrest

From Indymedia

On Friday 15th May, Burmese demonstrated over at the military regime's embassy in London and at the Foreign Office in Kings Charles Street, at Aung San Suu Kyi arrest and detention at the notorious Insein prison. There will be a larger protest on Monday 18th May.

Aung San Suu Kyi has been under detention for 13 of the last 18 years, but the junta has been desperate to keep her detained ahead of the sham 2010 elections in which she is already barred from standing. The UN had already declared her detention illegal under both international and Burma's law, but the dictatorship is so afraid of her they are using the ridiculous excuse of an unwanted intruder in her house that refused to leave, to accuse her of breaking their ridiculous detention law.

Aung San Suu Kyi National League for Democracy party won 82% of the vote in the 1990 elections, but the corrupt generals did not honour the result of their own election. As they have no honour, it comes as no suprise that they will use any pathetic excuse to keep her detained.

On Monday, Aung San Suu Kyi faces trial at the notorious Insein prison, but it is the UN, ASEAN and world leaders that will be on trial. Words are not enough, they must take real actions to ensure that Aung San Suu Kyi is released.

This year ASEAN hailed the creation of a regional human rights body as a historic first step toward confronting abuses in the region. ASEAN should get to work helping to free Nobel Peace prize winning Aung San Suu Kyi and more than 2100 fellow political prisoners in Burma.

HELP AUNG SAN SUU KYI - TAKE ACTION NOW
The United Nations and ASEAN must dispatch envoys to Burma to demand the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all Burma’s political prisoners

Please go to this page where you can email the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and ASEAN leaders to urge them to send envoys immediately.

http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/ASSK_action.html

Find out more about Aung San Suu Kyi here: http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/burma/campaigns/aung-san-suu-kyi/

More photo's of the May 15th event on Flickr at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/toastyoneuk/sets/72157618291888710/

21st Anniversary of Burma Human Rights Day

Protest held at Burma Embassy 13th March 2009

Launch of Free Burma's Political Prisoners Now - Take Action!

Friday 13th March was the 21st Anniversary of the beginning of the 1988 Student Uprising. Burma's Human Rights Day is in memory of Ko Phone Maw and all those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for Burma's freedom. Ko Phone Maw was the first student murdered by the Burmese junta on March 13th 1988 at a peaceful demonstration at Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT). It was the start of the 1988 democracy protests in which thousands of demonstrators were later murdered.

On this day a new signature campaign, Free Burma's Political Prisoners Now was launched globally, aiming to reach 888,888 signatures before 24 May 2009, the legal date that Burma's democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi should be released from house arrest. The petition calls on the UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon General Ban Ki-moon to make it his personal priority to secure the release of all political prisoners in Burma, as the essential first step towards democracy in the country.

Please sign the petition now:
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/fbppn.htm

The target of 888,888 signatures symbolises 8.8.88, the day the junta massacred some 3,000 people who courageously protested in Burma's largest democracy uprising.

Political Prisoners In Burma ­ Facts:

• There are over 2,100 political prisoners in Burma.
• They are innocent: These prisoners have committed no crime. They have been imprisoned for peacefully calling for democracy and freedom in Burma.
• They are subjected to horrific torture: Once in prison, democracy activists face horrific torture, including electric shocks, rape, iron rods rubbed on their shins until the flesh rubs off, severe beatings and solitary confinement.
• They endure terrible suffering: Many prisoners are kept in their cells 24hours a day, given inadequate food and are in poor health. However, the regime appears to be systematically denying medical treatment to political prisoners.
• These are brave men and women that are at the forefront of the fight for freedom and democracy in Burma.
  

They need your help. Sign the petition now:

http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/fbppn.htm

For Avaaz memebers there also a petition available on their site:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/free_burma_political_prisoners/

The Global Website for the Free Burma's Political Prisoners Now Campaign is at:
http://www.fbppn.net/
Sign the petition to free Burma's prisoners of conscience today!
http://www.fbppn.net/?page_id=5
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Burmas-Political-Prisoners-Now/72207914501

Total Closure Chiswick West Four Service Station

Before

After

Total appear to have permanently closed the West Four Total petrol station in Chiswick. It was one of our most regular protest sites in 2008. We realise there is also a recession on, but we would like to thank the motorists that boycotted Total for Burma and the local shopkeepers that distributed our leaflets about Total's disgraceful involvement in Burma.

First Anniversary of Assassination of Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan

The 14th February 2009 was the first anniversary of the cowardly assassination of the greatly respected Karen leader Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan. He was murdered in Thailand by thugs working for the brutal Burmese military regime, as part of a campaign to kill ethnic leaders.

His daughter Zoya Phan is International Coordinator at Burma Campaign UK.

Zoya Phan’s new autobiography, the gripping tale of her life, will be published in April. It is available to pre-order now. Order your copy via the Burma Campaign UK website and help to fund the Burma Campaign UK.

“Uplifting, tragic and entirely gripping, the extraordinary true story of Zoya Phan, forced to flee her country, now a high profile activist campaigning for freedom in her homeland.”

About Zoya: Zoya Phan is International Coordinator at Burma Campaign UK and is one of the leading Burmese democracy activists in Europe. She has met with the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown twice, several senior government ministers, the leader of the opposition party, and is regularly interviewed by national and international media including BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera. Zoya is from the Karen ethnic group in Burma. When Burmese army soldiers attacked her village, and she and her family were forced to flee. They hid in the jungle for weeks before finding their way to a refugee camp in Thailand. She is now a refugee living in London.

Order your copy via the Burma Campaign UK website here

Some video clips of Zoya Phan on Youtube:

Zoya Phan talks about TOTAL's presence in Burma in French

Zoya Phan speaking about Burma at the Conservative party conference in 2007. Her words brought the audience to their feet.

Union Day of Burma (12/02/2009)

Embassy of Burmese Regime






Embassy of Czech Republic

The exile/UK branch of Burma’s National League for Democracy, called for solidarity among all the various democracy loving groups inside and outside the country and held events at the Burma Embassy, UK Foreign Office and Embassy of Czech Republic (rotating EU President). They presented a united front before the regime’s Embassy and relayed a message to the military regime to stop their sham roadmaps and to start genuine efforts for sincere democratization in Burma. At the Foreign Office and Czech Embassy they called for better assistance from the EU and the UN for pro-democracy movements in Burma.

In recent months the military regime has made an even greater mockery of its planned 2010 elections by giving many life sentences to political prisoners. The International community should not recognize the 2010 elections since Aung San Suu Kyi remains in detention and is not allowed to stand and most of her party is in prison. Her party, the NLD received 82% of the vote in the 1990 elections but the cowardly dictatorship refused to respect the will of the Burmese people and hand over power, preferring to wait 20 years for another election they will be careful to fake properly next time.

For more photo's see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toastyoneuk/sets/72157613766833647/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/totaloutnow/sets/72157614772953509/

Total Burma protest at Watford Court and Offices

From London Indymedia Article:

On 23rd January the opening day of French Total Oil's Buncefield explosion criminal proceedings at Watford Magristrates Court, Burma protesters and supporters remind passers-by of Total's other disgraces and also leafleted at Total's Watford offices just down the road from the magistrates court.

Total Denial and Total Disasters

In January 2008 a French court made French Total Oil pay a large share of €200 million in damages to civil parties for Europe's largest oil tanker disaster. The Erika tanker disaster suffocated hundreds of miles of Atlantic coastline killing or injuring 300,000 sea birds. The court said Total, the world's fourth largest oil group, had failed to take into account the age of the ship and deficiencies in its maintenance. This carelessness had a "causal role in the sinking and, as such, provoked the accident", the judge said.

In October 2008 Total Oil was found guilty of price fixing. The European Commission fined nine firms that had been fixing the price of paraffin between 1992 and 2005. French Total Oil was fined 128.1million euros (the 2nd largest fine of the firms involved).

In December 2008 Total Oil faced criminal charges over Buncefield, Europe's largest peacetime blaze and the UK's largest peacetime explosion. Total is facing three charges — failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees; failing to protect persons not in their employment; and causing pollution to ground water in the vicinity of the plant. In October Total finally gave up 3 years of ridiculous denial that they were only liable for damages within 451m of the explosion, putting residents through years of "unnecessary struggle". Ironically Total's partner in Buncefield is Chevron (known as Texaco in UK), the same partner as in Total's Burma Yadana gas pipeline. Chevron (Texaco) and Total are arguing over responsibility for Buncefield : "Chevron, which owns 40 per cent of Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd. claims that Total alone should be responsible for the damage claims, on the grounds that the French company controlled Buncefield's employees and day-to-day operating procedures. "Total proposes that the focal point of the current litigation should be to ensure that Chevron, its joint venture partner, properly faces up to its responsibilities,'' the company said."

The Burmese have long suffered from Total Denial with Total financing the military dictatorship with hundreds of millions of dollars a year, but let's hope Total doesn't manage to get away with it for much longer in the UK and the Buncefield victims get total satisfaction in 2009.

References:

Erika tanker disaster - Europe's largest tanker disaster
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/17/oilspills.pollution

Price fixing
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7646408.stm

Buncefield - UK's largest peacetime explosion
Total is facing three charges
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article5268763.ece
3 years of ridiculous denial + Chevron (Texaco) and Total are arguing over responsibility
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2d515930-9407-11dd-b277-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1

Total Denial in Burma
http://www.totaldenialfilm.com/
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/total.php