Burma is quiet, but the world is acting/ panty power campaign

Recent update on the free Burma campaign of Avaaz.org. Avaaz, which means "voice" a transnational cause oriented and human rights NGO.

From their website:

"What Avaaz members have done so far:

789,479 petition signatures, hand-delivered to UK Prime Minister and UN Security Council member Gordon Brown. (Video here.)

$315,000 raised for the Burmese democracy movement.

33,403 emails to EU leaders urging targeted sanctions.

1,952 messages sent to Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo.

100+ protests in cities worldwide against the Burmese regime.

1 global ad campaign, including a full-page ad in the Financial Times pushing China to act.

If they haven't yet, ask friends to
sign the petition!"

There are other campaigns as well, but the one that got my attention is the Panty Power Campaign launched by women and activists exasperated by the slow progress of diplomacy on Burma. These activists believe that the Burmese generals are superstitious and culturally abhor female undergarments, whether clean or unclean. Contact with undergarments are supposed to sap males of power. "Bombing" the Burmese embassies in UK, Thailand, Australia and Singapore with panties is more an insult to the generals and symbolizes their disgust at their thuggery.

I still think that countries of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) need to do more. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo needs to step up and secure the release of those jailed, especially Aung San Suu Kyi. ASEAN should be the harbinger of human rights in Asia.

These times call for heroic leadership.

BURMA junta: Stop the violence, accept democracy!

The atrocities committed by the Burmese junta against their citizens and Buddhist monks are reprehensible. Their long years of terroristic reign should end. The Philippines and other nations can play a part in this by denouncing the violence they commit against their own people.

The Philippines, with its history of People Power, can take the high moral ground. It should lead the way in ASEAN in asking the Burmese junta to stop its violence, open up discussion with the monks and opposition, and ensure justice and reconciliation.

Already, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has called on the Burmese government to restore democracy and release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi now. She spoke in New York at the 62nd United Nations General Assembly. See the Inquirer report on this (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=91385)

These are historical times in Burma and in the ASEAN region. Let the Philippines and the world rise up to the occasion and take moral leadership. Let the Filipino voice be heard in standing up to what is moral and human. Urge the Burmese junta to stop its violence now, please.

Continue coverage of the resistance and pro-democracy movement as the Burmese people are looking to the rest of the world for support and encouragement.

Our prayers go out to those killed by the Burmese armed forces and to the Burmese people.