Activity Report and Forwards Plan of the Campaign Committee

Date: 3 December 2004 

Burmese students and political activists who are presently residing in Finland established the CDB, Campaign for Democracy in Burma (Finland) on 20 June 2002 to carry out the following objectives;

1.       To end military dictatorship rule and bring about democracy in Burma

2.       To mobilize Finnish people’s support for democracy and human-rights in Burma

3.       To represent Burmese community in Finland

4.       To organize an activist network for Burma action

5.       To cooperate with Burma pressure groups at the international level

2002 Campaign Activities

    Soon after its establishment, CDB distributed campaign postcards in commemoration of the 14^th Anniversary of the 8888 pro-democracy movement of Burma and organized two campaign actions -

Free Political Prisoners – for the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners in Burma as the first movement in Kuopio and Haukivuori of Finland. At the time there were over 1500 political prisoners in various Burmese jails. 

During these campaigns CDB presented the photos and picture of political prisoners including those who had died in prison, of how torture and ill-treatment they suffered and the photos and documents of the hell-like prison conditions. CDB collected the signatures from people who attended the presentation as their call for immediate release of political prisoners. In this campaign CDB cooperated with AAPPB.

-         In free political prisoner campaign in Kuopio (18-19 September 2002), over 300 signatures were collected.

-         In Haukivuori campaign (8 November 2002) over 200 signatures were collected.

-         In December 2002, CDB sent the Campaign signatures to the United Nations via AAPPB 

2003 Campaign Activities 

In the year 2003, the ruling military junta harassed and committed brutal crackdown on the organizational trip to upper Burma of Democracy Leader Daw Aung San Suu kyi. In the incident of May 27, 2003, the junta used its stooges and trained henchmen to attack and kill Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her entourage. The crackdown left over 100 dead or injured. Fortunately she escaped unhurt but was taken into detention.

As to the incident, CDB condemned the crackdown and pointed out that the junta was the main culprit responsible for it in its statement. 

-         On 4 June 2003, CDB led a march in Kuopio joined in by Finns and other foreigners calling for international action to counter the crackdown and to help secure the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

-         On 17 June 2003, CDB held demonstration in fronts of the Finnish Parliament and called on the Government of Finland to help the release of NLD leaders including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to take a strong voice against the junta, and handed a CDB letter of request to a secretary of Finnish Foreign Affairs Ministry.

-         The demonstration continued to hold the Chinese Embassy in Helsinki on the same day calling on the Chinese Government to stop support and arms sale to the junta. CDB also sent a protest letter to the Chinese Government through the Embassy’s mail box after an Embassy official refused to accept the letter. 

2004 Campaign Activities 

In cooperation with some Finnish members of Amnesty International, CDB wrote an open letter to the leader of the ruling military junta, Senior General Than Shwe. It called for immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. 50 copies of the letter were mailed to the junta in February 2004. 

On 8 August 2004, DB organized the 16^th anniversary of the 8888 pro-democracy uprising in Kuopio, Finland. During the ceremony the people who had sacrificed life and blood for democracy movement were honoured and speeches about 8888 history were given. 

Two CDB representatives attended three-day European-Burma network meeting (9-11 September 2004) held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. CDB represented two other Finland-based organizations, Finnish – Burma Committee and Finn- Mon Association and joined the EBN at the meeting. 

While in Netherlands, the representatives proposed effective actions and close cooperation among Europe-based Burmese organizations. 

On 25 September 2004, CDB held it regular meeting, restructured and enlarged its Campaign Committee to 23 members. 

On 1 October 2004, CDB launched “Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Campaign” again and distributed over 200 campaign postcards to Finnish people including students. It gives information on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s house arrest and urges the Government of Finland to help her immediate release. Recipients of the postcard can sign and mail it to Prime Minister of the Finnish Government. 

CDB invited Prime Minister of the National Coalition Government of Union of Burma (NCGUB) to visit Burmese community in Finland make an arrangement for him to meet Chairperson of Foreign Affairs Committee of Finnish Parliament on 8 December 2004. A press conference is also planned on the same day. CDB plans the visit in cooperation with Finnish-Burma Committee.  

2005-2006 forwards Campaign 

- Promote international campaigns to put pressure on the military junta

- Continue Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi campaign

- Promote cooperation with international organizations and exiled Burmese organizations through the creation of Nordic network for Burma action

- Seek more support for Burmese democracy movement from Finnish Government and citizens

- Ask the European countries, especially Finland to accept Burmese political activists on the Burma border who are running into deep trouble due to ASEAN’s constructive engagement policy with the military junta

- Ask Finland to take effective pressure on the junta when the country receives EU presidency in 2006

- Campaign against the junta’s ASEAN presidency in 2006

- Campaign against the high or low level representative of the military junta attending any ASEM meeting to be held in Europe

- Campaign for UN-sponsored sanction on the junta economically or diplomatically.

Campaign Committee

Campaign for Democracy in Burma (Finland)