Mizzima News

The first anniversary of the commencement of monk-led mass protests in Burma sees the launch of the latest campaign direct at rallying international support and awareness around the continued rights violations in Burma perpetrated by the ruling junta against its own people.

An initiative co-sponsored by Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Partners Relief and Development UK, Change for Burma! seeks to bring the Burmese regime's leaders before the International Criminal Court (ICC) on a wide range of charges related to crimes against humanity.

Urging those in the UK, Europe and throughout the world in support of the mission's goals to contact their local parliamentary representative, Change for Burma! also calls for a universal arms embargo against the Burmese armed forces.

Speaking in support of this most recent attempt to further bring pressure upon Naypyitaw, British MP John Bercow, Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Burma, said, "We've got to have a mass popular demonstration of discontent. We've got a personal and collective responsibility to do something".

Though chronicling and raising awareness of rights abuses throughout Burma and its varied communities, the project gives considerable attention to the plight of Chin State in Northwestern Burma, where an estimated 90 percent of the population is Christian – the highest figure in Burma.

Chin State is currently facing a famine which is said to affect 100,000 people.

"Virtually unseen by the world, thousands of farmers have been reduced to starvation in Chin State, the poorest part of Burma," laments the movements founders.
"The regime won't permit food aid or aid workers into the devastated areas. Villagers are too weak Burma is one of the poorest countries in the world," continues the organization's onslaught against the junta. "It is ruled by one of the world's most brutal regimes, guilty of every possible human rights violation."

Change for Burma! further accuses the Burmese regime of systematic religious persecution, including the desecration of crosses and churches, the forceful display of Buddhist propaganda during Christian services and the denial of promotion within the government and armed forces to members of the Christian community.

In contrast to Chin State, in the whole of Burma the Christian population is estimated to be less than five percent, with nearly 90 percent of Burmese being Buddhist.