Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: In Unity for the Liberty – Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freedom
We, members of MARUAH (Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism), would like to invite you, personally, and your organization to be part of a civil society movement to call for the freedom of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the democratically-held elections in 1990, has been under house arrest for almost two decades. On 18th May 2009, she was charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest and stood trial. She has borne her trials with dignity. Yet they continue unabated. The world has honoured her with a Nobel Peace Prize and lobbied tirelessly for her freedom but there is a growing helplessness towards the situation as the Myanmar junta continues to keep her in detention without trial.
We find the situation untenable. It will be a grave injustice if we all were to stand by and let this courageous citizen spend all her days as a prisoner. She is due for release at the end of May.
Many among us know that it will not happen. We need to show ASEAN solidarity at the civil society level and act together to ask for her freedom.
Can we then come together throughout ASEAN on the same day at the same time to demand for her freedom? Can we show solidarity by wearing some yellow in our clothing, hold a candlelight vigil and let off as many yellow-coloured balloons with her portrait, into the skies?
Civil society actors in certain countries may, of course, prefer to address supporting Daw Aung Sung Suu Kyi in their own unique way. But we hope that you will kindly agree to the above as some minimum.
I enclose a flyer for local use with space for NGOs to add their logo and adapt for their individual country use. But at the ASEAN level we are happy to coordinate this effort with the lead NGO in each country so that we can know how many organizations are committed to this project.
The date we have chosen is 31st May 2009. The time is 6 pm (Singapore); 7 pm (Bangkok); 5pm (Jakarta).
Please let us know if you would like to be part of this initiative and will be the coordinating NGO for this effort in your country to carry out the solidarity movement in your country.
There is no leading organization in this, We are acting collectively and want the same thing for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – freedom and justice. We are just a trigger and we hope it will take a life of its own.
Yours in solidarity,
In unity for the Liberty of Daw Aung Sung Suu Kyi
c/o MARUAH(Singapore)c/o Tenaganita( Malaysia)
ADVISORY
1. Only Singaporeans and Permanent Residents can participate in the demonstration in the Speakers Corner.
2. Observers – those who are unsure of their immigration status or are not citizens or PRs - please do know that by law you ought not to carry placards, banners, posters or photographs of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or any Burmese opposition leaders.
3. Singaporeans and Permanent Residents who are taking part in the demonstration, please comply with the following conditions:
a. Please do not recite anything that is religious or may cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different racial or religious groups. Please remember this is a peaceful demonstration. We are showing our solidarity with the people in ASEAN in asking for the release of Daw Aung Sung Suu kyi and also our sadness at the state of democracy in Myanmar(Burma)
b. We do not encourage placards or banners except for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s photograph, which we strongly encourage. If there are placards or banners they must not contain violent, lewd or obscene material.
A reminder: The organizers can request members of the public to leave the area demarcated for the demonstration should their actions be considered as flouting the terms and conditions of licence granted by the National Parks of Singapore for this demonstration or any other laws regulating public demonstrations in Singapore.
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