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Actions Signup   Why Burma needs you on April 9
 

Sing up April 9th actions: http://www.badasf.org/2008/event-sign-up.htm
Sign petition:                  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stand-by-the-people-of-burma---no-olympics-torch

Make donations:             www.badasf.org


Dear Colleagues,

 

The eyes of the world will be on the streets of San Francisco when the Beijing Olympic Torch arrives on April 9 – the only visit to North America. Chinese government really wants to make the street of San Francisco looks like the Streets of Beijing -- filled only with cheering crowds.  But, we are working with many groups to highlight China's irresponsibly causing and committing Human Rights abuses around the world (Visit ExposeBeijing.org).

 

As much as Olympic is precious to all of us, we must not let Chinese government hide its atrocious image under the cover of Olympic -- prolong brutal dictatorship and causing continued great pain and suffering to 50 millions people in Burma due to China's great military, economic and diplomatic support to the dictators to exploit Burma's oil and gas, her market, and her roads to India Ocean for its military; in short  --- China’s gain, Burma’s pain.

 

Please do something on April 9 to give voice to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her 50 millions people. It will be the great and rare opportunity to expose Burma and her cause at the world stage again -- after last year protests in Burma.

 

Why Burma needs you to come out on April 9:

 

1. Chinese government is pressuring the San Francisco Mayor really hard that he is behaving like China's representative rather than our Mayor. He previously stated that we can not protest along the torch route, but only at the staged free-speech zones -- major insult to the city and the people in the area.


2. Due to great local push back, he is now backing off, but he still scares us that the protesters will be outnumbered 1 to 10 by the cheering crowd. Given that large Chinese Community lives in San Francisco that is not an overstatement at all.

3. We have also learned that, other communities are rallying their supporters and thousands are coming to San Francisco from all over the United States on April 9 to highlight their causes.


4. As for Burma, the events in Rangoon has already passed six months, and much of our emotion has died down and therefore it does not look like very many of us will be on the streets for her that day -- at least not yet unless each and every one of us steps up.

 

5. The reality is that nothing has changed in Burma, and we must restore our feeling, emotion, and outrage that we had on or around September 24, 25, 26 of 2007 during the saffron events in Burma. Let's fill the streets with Burma supporters on April 9. Therefore Burma needs you to come out on April 9 for Burma. 

 

What you can do:

 

  1. Please motivate people around you. Tell them to give April 9 to Burma and do something.  Forward this message; call or speak  in person and explain why he or she should do something. Outreach to Collagues, high schools, religious schools, churches, monasteries, community groups and centers. Any little effort counts.
     
  2. Sing up for actions here: http://www.badasf.org/2008/event-sign-up.htm to attend, participate, help organized the Burma related actions on April 9. Make sure, you check back this page for updated actions as the city has not released the torch route.
     
  3. Make signs and hold them along the torch routes; State any messages that you are comfortable with:  Free Burma; Free Aung San Suu Kyi; China’s Gain, Burma’s Pain; China’s Policies, Burma’s Misery; Burma’s Blood on China’s Hands; Free Burma, Shame on China; No Genocide Torch; Boycott Olympic. And make sure to put images that highlight the suffering of our people.
     
  4. We are flying an air plane to tow a "Free Burma" billboard. Other groups have put up billboards in the city and also flying like us and they are even relaying their torches around the world in parallel with Beijing torch.  But we will do what we can for Burma even though the flight will cost us nearly $ 3000 for 3 hours. We are also making signs, banners, posters, scarfs, buttons, cloths and many items. So the cost is exceeding our resources and need your help.
     
  5.  To help us, please donate here online at www.badasf.org. Also solicit donations from your neighborhood stores, shops and groups. Your donation will be used only for all April 9 Burma related actions. Any amount counts.
     
  6. Attend Civil Disobedience training on Saturday April 5 at 12pm-3pm prompt time! at Amnesty International Office; 1663 Mission Street Suite 694 (near corner of Van Ness); San Francisco; exit Civic Center Bart Station; Please RSVP to Margaret Howe at margaret@bpf.org or 707-360-8452.
     
  7. Also attend the ACLU's training to be held at the same Amnesty International Office on April 7th at 12 noon. Download and read ACLU's DEMONSTRATORS AND THE CONSTITUTION (click it); Please RSVP Anil at anilverma7@gmail.com or 510 4853751. (Space is limited)
         
    Below is the billboard markup. tell us which one you like (the long one or the tall one by emailing to billboard@badasf.org) or send us the your markup; If we do not get enough support, we will not be able to put Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Photo as it will cost us more)

 

Thanks,

Nyunt Than

510 220 1323 (Cell)