Resolution of Burmese Communities in the United States: We do not Support the Burmese Military Junta and Its Cronies. We Protest and Condemn the Junta’s 2010 Election & Pre-determined Outcome
Date 20th October, 2010 (20-10-2010)
Since early August 2010, Burmese communities in the United States have been steadfastly opposed to the arrival of a group of ten Burmese performers who staged a music tour across the U.S. One of the performers was the Burmese actress, Wyne Suu Khine Thein, who starred in the notorious propaganda film (Lotus At Dawn – Ar Yon Oo Mar Phoo The Kyar) produced by the Burmese military junta. The film portrayed the struggle for democracy in Burma as acts of anarchy and violence.
After numerous protests of the visiting tour by Burmese communities in the United States, Sayadaw U Eithareya, of Albany, NY, who sponsored the entry visas of these entertainers, joined by the representatives of the Burmese community in the D.C. Area, filed a letter to the U.S. State Department on October7th, 2010,, stating his intention to withdraw his official endorsement of these performers.
Due to firm U.S. foreign policies against the military junta and the ongoing imposition of U.S. economic sanctions on Burma, it did not take the U.S. State Department long to review the appeal letter and, on the following day, revoke the performers’ visas. This decision sent them; including Wyne Suu Khine Thein, out of the United States on October 12, 2010. They will not be allowed to re-enter this country.
The Burmese communities in the United States sincerely thank the U.S. government for its firm stance and for its unyielding support of our freedom and struggle for democracy. This action proved to us that collaboration and unity within and among the Burmese communities are the vital forces that we must maintain to fight for our country’s freedom.
At the same time, to prevent this from happening again, we would like to urge the U.S. Embassy in Burma to be more cautious about screening Burmese visa applicants’ backgrounds and their connections with the ruthless military junta. In fact, on July 28, 2010, the Burmese community in Washington D.C. had submitted a list of the film stars who played in the military junta’s propaganda movie “Ar Yon Oo Mar Phoo The Kyar – Lotus at Dawn” to the U.S Embassy in Rangoon. However, we will re-attach this document and send it again for the Embassy’s record.
While at this vital moment, the Burmese Regime is staging its sham Election upcoming on November 7, 2010. It is declared unconstitutional and undemocratic by Burmese democratic opposition party, NLD (National League for Democracy) led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Aung San Suu Kyi and other Burmese opposition leaders such as U Win Tin and U Tin Oo have clearly stated to boycott and condemn the Regime’s 2010 Election as its outcome is foreseeable: the military junta will remain in power.
Therefore, we, Burmese communities in the United States, reject this election and join together again the call to ‘Boycott’ and condemn this unrepresentative election and its pre-determined results.
Due to the junta’s ruthlessness, the Burmese people inside the country are too afraid to express their feelings and opinions openly. They dare not protest any of the junta’s propaganda instruments and they do not have any ownership of their voting rights. Therefore, on their behalf, we stand up and condemn the military juntas’ injustice and inhuman activity.
At the same time, the Burmese pro-democracy communities in the United States also request the international community to refuse to acknowledge the election and continue to impose tougher sanctions on the Burmese regime and their cronies. We will continue to call for extending targeted sanctions on upcoming cabinet members, parliamentary candidates and those supporting the Burmese regime.
We, the undersigned Burmese communities in the United States, fully support this press statement.
Burmese Communities from:
1. Washington DC Metro Area
2. Buffalo, New York
3. Utica, New York
4. Albany, New York
5. New York City, New York
6. Fort Wayne, Indiana
7. Los Angles Metro Area, California
8. San Francisco Bay Area, California
9. Las Vegas, Nevada
10. North Carolina
11. Seattle, Washington
12. Tri-City, Washington
13. Portland, Oregon
14. Denver, Colorado
Contact persons: Nyi Nyi Aung (703-731–1167), Toe Lwin (415-424-5811), freeburma2010@freeburma.info
Attached: Protest Letter by Burmese Community from Washington DC Metro Area against Propaganda Movie of Burmese Regime
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxtb2VtYWthMjAxMHxneDozNzgxMmEzMmJiOWE1OThk