Burmese speak up for their homeland

MARTIN DE RUYTER/Nelson Mail

STANDING FIRM: Members of the Nelson Burmese community, from left, Than Hteik, Myint Wai, Hailian Thang, Kyi Win Htain and Kan Kaung mark the 20th anniversary yesterday of the uprising in Burma.

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Myanmar has seen no progress since its uprising 20 years ago, Burmese refugee Aung Maung said as his community commemorated the anniversary at Victory Primary School hall in Nelson yesterday.

"It is very important to remind our people and the world that although we haven't seen change, we expect it to come soon."

On August 8, 1988, pro-democracy supporters in Burma, now known as Myanmar, took to the streets to call for an end to the country's military dictatorship. An estimated 3000 people were killed during the following five days.

Mr Maung fled to New Zealand 14 years ago and Nelson's Burmese community has swelled to more than 200 since then, many still fighting for democracy and human rights to be restored in their homeland.

Kyi Win Htain said the military regime didn't care about looking after people. "The recent cyclone and floods, the terrible damage they have done to people's lives and the incredibly negative and defensive response of the military regime there to all the offers of help from many countries around the world makes it clear how insecure and inadequate the military regime is."

He called on the New Zealand Government to recognise August 8 as Burma Day every year, honour the results of the 1990 Burmese election, and ask the United Nations security council to take action against the illegal Burmese junta and secure the release of opposition party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners.

- © Fairfax NZ News