B8 EVENT - 8-8-08 GLOBAL JUSTICE FOR BURMA

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B8 - GLOBAL JUSTICE FOR BURMA

8-8-08.

The first day of the Olympics.

The 20th anniversary of the 8-8-88 protests and massacre in Burma.

Join the Global Justice Center, the International Burmese Monks Organization, alldaybuffet, Serene Communications, U.S. Campaign for Burma, the 88 Generation Students of Burma and hundreds around the world to help bring Burma's Senior General Than Shwe and his military regime to justice at the International Criminal Court.

Wear red in solidarity.

B8 GJB Locations

Delhi, India
Delhi Habitat Center
Lodhi Road, New Delhi
www.indiahabitat.org

London, United Kingdom
TBD

New York City, United States
Eli Klein Fine Art
462 West Broadway, New York City
www.elikleinfineart.com

San Francisco, United States
Frey Norris Gallery
456 Geary Street, San Francisco
www.freynorris.com

More info:
www.globaljusticeforburma.org

A ray of hope - Inside Myanmar - Part 4

From our friend S- in Yangon

I had better say 'happy holidays' from Myanmar. Over the past few weeks two important holidays have occurred. The first, Wazo, arrived with an auspicious Burmese full moon, an occasion when many young men exchange faded t-shirts and loungyi's for an apprentice robe, entering the monastery to spend the next few months in religious study and meditation. (and for many- relief work) Across the country well-wishers donated robes, bowls and burgundy velvet sandals to the soon to be monks. Appreciative of the monasteries' continuous hurricane relief work, there was quite a turnout this Wazo. (It's been a long year for the monks.)

In a slight contrast, the second holiday, Martyr's Day, was non-celebrated. Anticipating a different sort of appreciation, larger cities and towns observed trucks brimming with riot patrol police and militia on patrol....festivities we limited for the most part.

There are a multitude of reasons to celebrate,however. It is not hard to be overwhelmed when looking at the vastness of the situation in the south of the country, especially as it seems affected population estimates increase daily-as the food supply continues to decline. But the many small efforts and successes also seem to be ever increasing. It was a pleasant surprise that the national newspaper reported last week that 'everyone may make donations freely'. Just as surprising, in Southern Bogalay, one of the worst affected areas, a prominent monk was able to obtain permission to bring in a group of foreign doctors- the first to have visited the area.

I learn of more and more local business's and individuals that have stepped in and set up small scale relief/reconstruction efforts in some of the most remote areas, some of who are now partnering with NGO's. At an even more local level local NGOs, of which there are few, are inundated with local volunteers, many who have overcome the most tragic of circumstances to assist others...I met one man who lost his wife and all four children to a storm surge- he’s now coordinating prevention efforts in his village. It is astonishing that the in face of such difficult circumstances hope is far from being lost.

Stay tuned - Global Justice Center

We will be working on an initiative and series of events with the Global Justice Center - Titled B8 - on 08-08-08.

Details to follow shortly.

Inside Burma - Part 3

A recent email from S-

"The stories currently floating around, range from tragic to almost unbelievable. Not long ago masses of high nutrition biscuits were donated for distribution to those in need, ultimately they ended up being rationed to a particular uniformed group...given without instruction, many were hospitalized from consuming too many. (As the story goes) Another story is one of a small extremely rural village that only recently had a school built. For the first time ever two young students studied and took a medical exam to begin nursing school. To the surprise and pride of the village both passed. They would have been the village's first graduates- had the two survived the Nargis...So here, over a cup of sweet burmese tea I find comedy and tragedy both.

Those working on the relief effort have stories too, although quite a bit more technical and numerical. It seems that as a few days ago some 50,000 people have run out of food. Hopefully through cooperation relief will be provided until the next harvest, but it will be an effort. Some of the outlying island areas have towns that have lost seventy percent of their population, with only a few children remaining. But slowly, help seems to be reaching those sort of people. All and all, its pretty hard to tell, but I can attest that there are many dedicated people doing the best they can."

Monsoons and chainsaws

I was just on the AlertNet website and came across this blog post by Chris Northey - CARE's Emergency Team Leader in Myanmar. It just shook me awake from the comfort of my office in Manhattan.

Rain and sadness in cyclone-ravaged Myanmar
10 Jul 2008 11:33:00 GMT10 Jul 2008 11:33:00

It's raining every day now in Myanmar, very heavily; monsoon season has clearly arrived. It's not the gentle rain we're used to at home - more like someone tipping a bucket of water over your head. I can't help but think of people stuck outside in this rain with no shelter and it pushes you to do more.

Since I came back from the delta, I've been very busy in the office and we've had more staff join the emergency programme. It's very easy to get caught up in the detail of budgets, proposals, warehouses, planes, cars and procurement, and forget that a line on a budget sheet represents a village that CARE is helping, that it represents a person and their family. The sound of the rain reminds you of this.

Click here to read more

Ferry sinks in Irrawaady Delta

Click here for the full story

Inside Burma - Part 2

From my fellow high school alum who is in Yangon right now:

"The rain beating down on the corrugated roofing here is so vigorous it sounds like the white noise of a disconnected television. It's currently the monsoon season, meaning that at least four times daily huge clouds purge themselves of a tremendous amount of rain. Normally, this is a good thing- bringing fresh water to the rice paddies and other crops while washing away the hot season and the red betel nuts stains from the streets. Now, it seems that the thunderclaps bring about anxiousness. For many people memories of the hurricane are still fresh.

As the streets and ditches flood here in the city, I can only hope that the temporary repairs and tarpaulin roofs will keep those in the delta dry, many who recently have had to return home prematurely.There are certainly more relief agencies here than ever before, and it’s the first time I've ever seen so many foreigners (of the professional kind) meandering about Yangon's dilapidated streets (searching for products they are unlikely to find.) Not being able to travel many places without hard to obtain special permission, they are working with local staff and preexisting agencies to get supplies and assistance into the worst hit areas. Organizations have also had to contend with the rain.

I'm told that many roads are nearly impassable in the rural areas, flooded and turned to mud. Combined with the restrictions, that has kept help from reaching all who need it- confining most efforts to the larger towns and cities. Regular citizens, are compassionately filling in the gaps as much as they can, (which is absolutely beautiful.)

One ray of hope, is that one local, having just returned from a marginalized region told me 'they are tough people, if anyone can figure out how to survive, they can. They've been doing it for years...' I hope so, as the current and biggest concern is food. The hurricane not only destroyed many rice paddies and seed stock, but has also saturated much land with sea water, which until pumped out effectively destroys the lands fertility. Not great news for those entirely dependent on crops for food and income- which is most.

I've noticed that troubles aren't just in the South. Prices everywhere have risen. Bus fares have doubled and food costs have risen rather substantially. A 75 pound bag of rice that cost 16,000 kyat before the hurricane is now 25,000 kyat. While certainly a lot of rice, enough for a family of four for a month, many earn as little 30,000 kyat a month and are concerned about the future. In Burmese language, after saying 'hello, how are you?' it is customary to ask 'have you eaten?' pronounced, 'Saw bee pee la?' the normal response is 'Saa Bee'-'I have eaten' Everyone is hoping that, to that definition at least, things will get back to normal."