STUDENTS AND MONKS MASSACRED SEPT. 29th. / Oct. 5 National Campus Day of Action for Burma

On September 29th, up to 100 students and parents and 200 monks were massacred in Yangon.

What's to prevent the junta from murdering hundreds or thousands more? These killings speak to the fact that Senior General Than Shwe and junta leaders are unwilling to listen to the international community and have the predisposition of resorting only to violence.


The body of one of the monks killed on Sept. 30th at Nwye Kyar Yan Monastery. Read the story HERE

I will be stepping up efforts to not only update this blog with the most current events, and also give further analytical background on the social, political, and economic backdrop of the situation in Burma. If you guys have any suggestions, comments, or questions...any feedback on how to make this blog more informative, please, let me know.

Please educate yourselves about this issue. And TAKE ACTION. On the left hand side of my blog are category selections. Click on the TAKE ACTION category. It goes to online petitions and other actions to protest the situation in Burma and to call on the junta's supporters to stop funding human rights abuses. I also condensed the actions at the end of this post. Please scroll down.
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from the US Campaign for Burma

October 5: National Campus Day of Action for Burma

Brave university and high school students inside Burma are working closely with monks in leading peaceful protests throughout Burma.

On September 29th, there was a massacre at State High School No.2, Tamwe in Rangoon. Reports have confirmed that an estimated 50-100 students and parents were killed.

Is your university supporting the military dictatorship?

We need a ground swell of support and action! We urge schools across the country to show their solidarity with students inside Burma and organize a Saffron Revolution Solidarity event for Friday, Oct. 5th.
Click here to sign up!

Actions to take:
1) SIGNATURES - Collect as many people as you can to sign a petition to Chinese President Hu Jintao demanding China stop paralyzing UN Security Council action and use their leverage with Burma's military regime to stop the massacre inside Burma(You can find the petition to download online here)
2) WEAR RED - Have everyone on your campus wear red as a sign of solidarity with monks peacefully protesting in Burma
3) EDUCATE - Organize a rally, speaker, silent march, candle light vigil, or hold a film screening on the that day
4) ACT- Pass a resolution to get your University to use it's shareholder power to convince companies to stop doing business in Burma.

WHY we are doing it:
1) To raise awareness on campus and in the surrounding area about the protests in Burma
2) To give support to those risking their lives and peacefully protesting inside Burma; the Burmese hear about our protests through satellite radio
3) To put pressure on China to take action on Burma. China is starting to respond due to the international outcry; we need to get more people involved to keep up the pressure.

HOW to get students on your campus involved:
1) Start a Facebook event. Invite everyone. We already have a national Facebook event up- National Campus Day of Action for Burma
2) Send out emails to all listserves available and ask your friends to do the same
3) Put up banners, posters, dormslips, tableslips all around campus (we have provided these. Read below)
4) Set up tables on main quads and outside dining halls to collect signatures for the petition and hand out Burma "quick fact sheets"
5) Pass out red duct tape and red ribbons at tables to start raising awareness during the week, along with fact sheets
6) Work with other groups on campus to get the word out (Amnesty, STAND, other social justice networks)
7) Make sure to contact the local and regional press. This is crucial. Contact your school newspaper, alumni publications, town/city newspapers, AP, Reuters, local TV stations, and local radio stations.
8) Make sure the students know why they are wearing red by having speakers who explain the situation in Burma
9) Get professors, school departments, and school administration involved

Website for Campus Day of Action:
1) We have made a webpage for this Friday's Burma days: www.studentsforburma.org.
2) On the webpage you can download posters, tableslips/handbills, and "Burma quick fact sheets" to post around campus

-Thelma Young