Burma (Burma): Protests across the world mark Aung San Suu Kyi's Birthday

To commemorate Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64th birthday on 19 June (her 14th in detention), local and Burmese citizens will be holding protests and events in over 20 cities across the world, calling for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the 2,156 political prisoners currently held in Burma/Burma. The protesters will also be calling on the United Nations Security Council to step up the pressure on the military regime by establishing a global arms embargo on Burma/Burma.

Aung San Suu Kyi is currently being prosecuted by the authorities in Burma/Burma for violating the terms of her house arrest, after an American man swam across a lake to visit her house in early May. For this, she faces up to five years imprisonment.

Paul McCartney and others add their voices:

Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono and other celebrities will be making special 64-word statements commemorating Aung San Suu Kyi’s birthday. These statements will be available at www.64forSuu.org . Other celebrities that have sent messages include George Clooney, David Beckham, Julia Roberts, Daniel Craig and Richard Branson. Stephen Fry, Eddie Izzard, Kevin Spacey and Sarah Brown have been “tweeting” about the campaign.

The international protests and events will be using a new image of Aung San Suu Kyi released to mark her 64th birthday. A high resolution version of the image is available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/39385533@N03/sets/72157619730230177/detail/ br />Protests and events include:

London: 1pm – 2pm Friday 19 June

Demonstration at the Burmese embassy, 19A Charles St London W1J 5DX, including speeches by:

Venerable Monk U Uttara (International Buddhist Monk Organisation)

Wai Hnin (daughter of Burmese political prisoner Ko Mya Aye)

Bangkok: 1pm – 5pm Friday 19 June

Public forum on: ‘Democracy in Burma? The Answer is Blowing in the Wind’

Thammasat University. Tha Phrachan Campus – Room 301 Liberal Arts

Prague: 5pm Thursday 18 June

Gathering at Na Kampě, Prague

Life lettering (from protesters’ bodies) of the words: FREE SUU KYI!

Sydney: 10.30am Thursday 18 June

Morning tea at NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney

Speeches by leading female NSW parliamentarians and Burmese Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights

Taipei: 7pm – 9pm

Music concert and the release of the CD ‘Free Burma’ at Jhonghe Park No.4, Taipei

Tokyo: 5pm Friday 19 June

Religious ceremony and candlelight vigil

United Nations University Headquarters Building, 5-53-70, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku

Kuala Lumpur: 8pm to 10pm Friday 19 June

Gathering at Taman Jaya (near Amcorp mall) with live music performances and speeches

New York: 1pm to 4pm 20 June 2009

Gathering at 777, United Nations Plaza, 10th Floor, 44th St. & 1st Ave.

Full event listings are available at http://64forsuu.com/events.php The protests, events and image are part of the www.64forSuu.org campaign, which is supported by:

Altsean-Burma, Amnesty International, Article 19, Austrian Burma Center, Avaaz, Burma Action Ireland, Burma Campaign Australia, Burma Campaign UK, Burma Info Japan, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, English Pen, Free Burma Campaign (South Africa), Human Rights Watch, Info Birmanie (France), International Peace Bureau, Not On Our Watch, Norwegian Burma Committee, Open Society Institute, Trade Union Congress, People in Need (Czech Republic), People in Peril (Slovakia), US Campaign for Burma.