Burma Assist Christmas Card

I received my Burma Assist Christmas cards today and they’re great – a really nice design, with all proceeds going to a good cause. I always get slightly skeptical of huge charities that turnover millions of pounds per year – how much of the money actually goes to helping people?

Burma Assist is a small organisation where literally, every pound makes a difference.

Buy your Burma Assist Christmas cards here.

It’s reported that over 1.5 million people are at serious risk from diseases such as cholera, dysentery and malaria and may die if aid is not delivered soon. It seems that the number of dead cannot be accurately determined at this time, but i am confident that this disaster is on a par with the terrible earthquake in China. It’s rather strange then that China sent 50,000 troops to Sichuan province to help with the aid effort, but is blocking UN sanctions to force the Burmese government to accept foreign aid! I understand the principal that the Burmese should decide for themselves, but i think that when this many lives are at stake – there’s not really much time to look at everyone’s principals.

China broadcasts to the media globally that it would appreciate foreign help; unsurprisingly everyone scrambles to show them how much they can do…and maybe they can get a few new trade agreements next year, but at the same time they block aid from going to Burma! It doesn’t really make sense in my head.

So…what can be done. On Saturday 17th May, the Global Day of Action for Burma’s Cyclone Victims will take place. The emphasis is on getting the rest of the world to enforce aid upon Burma to save literally millions of lives. I don’t agree with this tactic as it will only worsen relations with the government, but then i also do not have a better solution to propose!

Protests are taking place in London as follows:

French Embassy: Time: 12:30 – 13:00
Address: 58 Knightsbridge London SW1X 7JT

American Embassy: Time: 13:30 – 14:00
Address: 24 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 2LQ

Foreign Office: 14:40 – 15:10
Address: King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH

Click here to view a map of the day’s protests.

Other protests across the world can be found here.

I think you’ll agree that the result is pretty darn good!

TAKE ACTION
The Burma Campaign UK and MTV have joined forces again to call for action by
the United Nations Security Council. Visit http://www.mtvburmaaction.com to email the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the permanent members of
the United Nations Security Council.

TAKE ACTION
Email European Union governments calling on them to agree targeted economic
sanctions that will ensure European companies no longer help pay for the
guns and the bullets used against peaceful protesters in Burma. Visit:
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/eu_sanctions.html

Also, photos are now online of the 10,000+ strong march that took place in London on Saturday. You can see the set here or the slideshow here.

Edinburgh is hosting a ‘Run for Relief‘ in the meadows, followed by a lunch which will be addressed by Zoya Phan, a Burmese refugee who now works for Burma Campaign UK.

There’s also a discussion taking place this Thursday (4th October) at St John’s Church Hall on Princes Street about the situation in Burma, and what people in Scotland can do about it.

If you’re at all interested in this, or just feel that you want to help out, please check out the websites of the organisations involved…come along on Thursday…or even get your trainers on this Saturday! It’s only 5K around the meadows…and you can walk if you want to. Register here online before 10pm Thursday 4th October.

However, Sylvester Stallone has recently returned from filming on the Thai/Burmese border and has spoken about the atrocities which he saw. I have little doubt that by the time the smoke clears and democracy is restored to the country the world will learn of truly the appalling abuse of human rights which i believe happens there daily.

On the plus side, the UN Special Envoy met with the government today. So far there’s little news about the meeting which may even still be going on, however i imagine the outcome will be somewhat similar to the foreign minister’s announcement that the government reacted adequately to political activists who were exploiting peaceful protests to destabilize the government.

Feel free to check out some of my pictures of the country here, or as a slideshow here, and ponder the situation like this little fellow below!

China and Russia have vetoed the UN proposal to condemn the government’s actions, with China reportedly saying that if they were to meddle in Burma’s civil affairs, that surely they should be meddling in Frances when they have protests such as the riots in Paris last year. Hardly the same situation, but you’ve gotta love the Chinese’s spin on the situation. Hopefully they will do their utmost to appease the situation anyway.

Having been there and met Burmese people, it truly saddens me to think about this happening. I’ve chosen my words carefully here and i can honestly say that without exception we did not meet an unpleasant Burmese person. Everyone we met was overjoyed to see us and we didn’t notice a hint of aggression, anger or hatred in anyone we met for the whole time we were there. The worst thing was that we were so popular that everyone wanted to talk to us to practice their English and wouldn’t leave us alone! Life in the spotlight is hard i tell you!

On the plus side, this was the main story on BBC news this morning, and on their website. The UK PM and US President have both announced that they will take action against the ruling junta, and an urgent UN Security Council meeting has been scheduled for today at 7pm. Hopefully the international community will get involved with this issue and not allow the appalling abuse of human rights to continue in the country.

The BBC has some good pictures of the protests here.