Call to Global Action: Support the Burmese People in their fight for Democracy

With mounting protests in recent days in Burma, the ruling military junta have reacted with unwarranted and ferocious assaults on the demonstrators. Violent confrontations have taken place in several locations, notably around the infamous Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon. Some 700 students, monks and nun have been beaten by riot police with batons, and at least 20 teargas canisters and a similar number of live bullets have been fired by police in the vicinity of the pagoda.

IUSY is gravely concerned at the increasing violence and the intolerance shown by the military regime of any dissent or opposition. IUSY firmly believes that the deteriorating situation in Burma must not go unnoticed and thus IUSY is launching its own "IUSY Burma Watch" as part of it’s ongoing Burma Campaign. You can access the IUSY Burma Watch on the following link: http://iusyburmawatch.blogspot.com/

Moreover IUSY stands firm in its belief that the ruling junta must now be placed under the maximum possible international pressure thus IUSY is launching an appeal to all member organisations for global action to put pressure on the military junta to ensure peace and take steps to engage in a real process of democratic transition.

On the 2-3 November IUSY will be holding a meeting on Burma with the All Burma Students League (ABSL). In the run up to this meeting IUSY will launch a month of action on Burma on the 1st October accumulating with a global action on the 2nd November in support of the Burmese People.

So Join our actions of International Solidarity and support the Saffron Revolution of the Burmese People !

EU toughens sanctions on Burma

The EU today agreed to expand sanctions against Burma’s military regime in protest at the crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators.Diplomats said extra sanctions would include an expanded visa ban for members of the military junta, as well as expanded import bans on such products as timber and gemstones. The new measures will be given a final approval by EU foreign ministers in a fortnight. National envoys to the EU also agreed to back new diplomatic efforts at the United Nations to push the junta into talks with pro-democracy groups.

A panel of EU experts is to determine the details of the new measures before EU foreign ministers meet on October 15 in Luxembourg. As part of new economic measures, the EU said it would expand an investment ban and block more trade in metals, wood and precious stones, like rubies and sapphires. The new measures do not include a specific ban on European oil and gas companies from doing business in Burma, diplomats said. Any new sanctions would add to EU diplomatic and economic measures already in place against Burma over its lack of political reforms and its poor human rights record. Sanctions were first imposed in 1996 and include a ban on travel to Europe for senior government officials, an asset freeze and a ban on arms sales to Burma.

Military Junta hunting down anti-government protesters

Burmese troops today began hunting down anti-government protesters in house-to-house searches across Rangoon. Military vehicles patrolled the streets before dawn with loudspeakers announcing: “We have photographs. We are going to make arrests.”People are terrified. From what we understand, military police are travelling around the city in the middle of the night, going into homes and picking up people. Residents living near the Shwedagon Pagoda, Burma’s most revered shrine and a flashpoint of unrest, said police swept through several dozen homes in the middle of the night, dragging away men for questioning. The troops were looking for people who took part in mass pro-democracy demonstrations which were ruthlessly crushed last week with gunfire, tear gas and baton charges.

ABSL Demonstration in Delhi India on 2nd October 2007