ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT,PARLIAMENTARIAN FRIENDS OF BURMA,DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES & GENTLEMEN,& PEOPLE OF BURMA
Today is the 8th of August, the 8th month of 2008. We are gathering here to show our support & unity to the most oppressed people of Burma. Today the bells are ringing as the sign of sorrow in the cities of Hiroshima & Nagasaki in Japan to express the condolence and anguish of the Japanese people to the victims of atomic bomb back in 1945. It is also a warning of danger to the world when the ARMY turns to be the RULER of a nation. Burma has been under the military rule since 02/03/1962. The night they robbed the power of the nation they killed Mi Mi Thike the son of the 1st President of Burma Sao Shwe Thike. But shamelessly they broadcast it as a bloodless coup. Four months later they killed hundreds of the Rangoon University students in the name of peace and order. They even blew up the historical building of the Student Union in the campus where the movement of independence of Burma was born.
The Burma army killed and killed the hungry and innocent people whenever the crisis arose. In 1987 Burma was branded as the Least Developed Nation ( L.D.C ) by the UN. The army demonetised the currencies without any compensation. On 8888 the entire people of Burma joined hands and expressed their desire of human rights and democracy in peaceful demonstration. Again they killed.
In 2 days time China will celebrate the biggest ever Olympic Games in Beijing exactly at 8:08 pm on the month of 8th of 2008. That means 8888, the lucky number for Chinese. We will commemorate our mourning day of 20th anniversary 8888 in every corner of the world where the people of Burma are residing. The army used excessive force to crush down the people demonstration. After 8888 the army openly declared that they will pave the way for democracy in discipline and go back to the army barracks. Unfortunately that never happens.
Today Burma Army built up to 400,000 to 450,000 strong army including 70,000 child soldiers without any external threat. Every 100 people in Burma have ONE soldier while they have ONE trained teacher for every 100,00.
Look at today statistic of Burma.
2.5 million people are displaced.
About half million are taking refugee in refugee camps.
One million are living illegally in neighbouring countries.
40% of children are malnourished.
ONE in 5 children dies before they reach their 5th birthday.
3000 villages are deliberately destroyed.
Inflation rate is more than 40%.
Civil war is still raging for 60 years.
The army is reaping US$150 million per month from the offshore gas revenue while the grass-root are weeping in and suffering in hunger. Electric power is only for the army and elite’. People are living without electricity. But they spend more than 50% of the revenue to build up the army.
They misled the people just a few days before deadly NARGIS. While neighbouring nation India warned them a few days before the cyclone. They declared in their newspaper that NARGIS was not harmful. It would be only 50 mph. People were absolutely unprepared. More than 130,000 people perished in the deadly cyclone.
They banned US Aircraft Carrier from delivering food, medicine and fresh water. They misused many aids for their own benefit. People have to help the victims behind the scene. Many social workers were arrested for helping the victims. Many victims died after cyclone because of the man-made disaster.
The people of Burma are branded as the “ Rice-eating robots” by the scholar Dr. Nancy Hudson-Rodd. The people of Burma are also human beings like any other in the world. People should not go the bed hungry. The people power of India, South Africa, the Philippines and Thailand did work. Aung San Suu Kyi was named the Mandela of Burma. As a matter-of-fact she is the Mandela without De Clarke. Those countries gained victories over the dictators as the rulers were human beings. The story of Burma is different. All the events show that the rulers of Burma are no human beings. They have no consideration apart from the power.
Today we, the people of Burma, call upon
The United Nations, E.U, ASEAN, USA, UK & Australia
Not to turn the blind eye to the people of Burma.
We urge you to take serious ACTION not the SANCTION.
When Australia liberated E. Timor we were in tears of joy.
We want to write a new page in our history of Burma to let our children know that;
IN 2008 AUSTRALIA LIBERATED BURMA. AUSTRALIA IS OUR GREATEST FRIEND.
CHILDREN NEVER EVER FORGET AUSTRALIA.
Paul Kyaw
0433 55 1845
