august spies
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for those who dont know burma is country in south east asia, it has been ruled by the military for almost 50 years, and its people suffer from dire poverty disease and horrid torture and other human rights abuses.
below is the information on a group, the free burma coalition which is fighting for peace and justice in the region.
Beginnings
Founded by a group of Burmese and American graduate students at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1995, the Free Burma Coalition (FBC) is an Internet-based organization with grassroots member groups and affiliates in 28 countries. Through public education, policy advocacy, consumer boycotts, and divestment campaigns, FBC works to raise awareness about the horrific human rights violations by Burma's illegitimate military dictatorship. The coalition builds grassroots support worldwide for the National League for Democracy (NLD), led Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace prize winner. The NLD won a landslide victory in 1990 elections, the result of which has been ignored by the country's dictators.
Comprised of Burmese activists, refugees, dissident academics in-exile and their international supporters, FBC collaborates with human rights and environmental organizations, women's groups, labor activists, corporate accountability groups, socially engaged academicians, students, interfaith organizations, indigenous rights movements and political leaders.
Since its inception, FBC has grown to become one of the largest human rights campaigns via both Internet and traditional activism. It is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the effective use of the Internet for promoting awareness about political repression.
As a result of FBC's efforts, more than 50 multinational corporations including PepsiCo, Texaco and ARCO have divested from Burma. Our efforts have been covered by the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Economist, Far Eastern Economic Review, CNN, BBC, and VOA, as well as a host of grassroots progressive media outlets. Over the past few years, FBC -- and its braintrust the Institute for Community and Institutional Development -- Burma, Inc. -- have begun building a community of Burmese activists intellectually and academically equipped to rebuild a free Burma.
Who's On Board?
The FBC works with student activists at over 100 colleges, universities and high schools in the U.S. and Canada, as well as concerned citizens in as many as 26 other countries - including South Africa. The largest human rights campaign in cyberspace,the FBC has been nominated for Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, the Martin Ennals Award, and currently one its members is nominated for the Reebok Human Rights Award.
Mission Statement
The Free Burma Coalition (FBC) is an umbrella group of organizations around the world working for freedom and democracy in Burma. Our mission is to build a grassroots movement inspired by and modeled after the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Our movement stands 100% behind the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD), whom the people have recognized as the sole legitimate leaders of Burma.
Objectives
Our objectives are twofold: 1) To weaken the grip of the State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC (formerly known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC) by cutting its substantial flow of foreign currency provided by multinational corporations such as Total, Unocal, Mitsubishi, Suzuki , and Aeroground among others; and 2)To strengthen the position of the democratic forces within Burma by building up an international movement calling for the end of totalitarian rule under the SPDC. In accordance of the wishes of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, we call for the immediate and complete withdrawal of all foreign businesses from Burma.
The Free Burma Coalition 1101 Pennsylvania Ave, SE #204 20003
Tel: (202)-547-5985 Fax: (202)-544-6118
Email: [email protected]
www.freeburmacoalition.org
below is the information on a group, the free burma coalition which is fighting for peace and justice in the region.
Beginnings
Founded by a group of Burmese and American graduate students at the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1995, the Free Burma Coalition (FBC) is an Internet-based organization with grassroots member groups and affiliates in 28 countries. Through public education, policy advocacy, consumer boycotts, and divestment campaigns, FBC works to raise awareness about the horrific human rights violations by Burma's illegitimate military dictatorship. The coalition builds grassroots support worldwide for the National League for Democracy (NLD), led Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace prize winner. The NLD won a landslide victory in 1990 elections, the result of which has been ignored by the country's dictators.
Comprised of Burmese activists, refugees, dissident academics in-exile and their international supporters, FBC collaborates with human rights and environmental organizations, women's groups, labor activists, corporate accountability groups, socially engaged academicians, students, interfaith organizations, indigenous rights movements and political leaders.
Since its inception, FBC has grown to become one of the largest human rights campaigns via both Internet and traditional activism. It is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the effective use of the Internet for promoting awareness about political repression.
As a result of FBC's efforts, more than 50 multinational corporations including PepsiCo, Texaco and ARCO have divested from Burma. Our efforts have been covered by the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Economist, Far Eastern Economic Review, CNN, BBC, and VOA, as well as a host of grassroots progressive media outlets. Over the past few years, FBC -- and its braintrust the Institute for Community and Institutional Development -- Burma, Inc. -- have begun building a community of Burmese activists intellectually and academically equipped to rebuild a free Burma.
Who's On Board?
The FBC works with student activists at over 100 colleges, universities and high schools in the U.S. and Canada, as well as concerned citizens in as many as 26 other countries - including South Africa. The largest human rights campaign in cyberspace,the FBC has been nominated for Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, the Martin Ennals Award, and currently one its members is nominated for the Reebok Human Rights Award.
Mission Statement
The Free Burma Coalition (FBC) is an umbrella group of organizations around the world working for freedom and democracy in Burma. Our mission is to build a grassroots movement inspired by and modeled after the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Our movement stands 100% behind the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD), whom the people have recognized as the sole legitimate leaders of Burma.
Objectives
Our objectives are twofold: 1) To weaken the grip of the State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC (formerly known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC) by cutting its substantial flow of foreign currency provided by multinational corporations such as Total, Unocal, Mitsubishi, Suzuki , and Aeroground among others; and 2)To strengthen the position of the democratic forces within Burma by building up an international movement calling for the end of totalitarian rule under the SPDC. In accordance of the wishes of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, we call for the immediate and complete withdrawal of all foreign businesses from Burma.
The Free Burma Coalition 1101 Pennsylvania Ave, SE #204 20003
Tel: (202)-547-5985 Fax: (202)-544-6118
Email: [email protected]
www.freeburmacoalition.org