ARTHOUSE FILM NEWS - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene at Facets, Chicago 11/29/23

From this BBC article: " Thousands of people have taken to Britain's streets to support pro-democracy protestors in Burma. The Burma Campaign UK said an estimated 3,000 people attended a march in London, which was the biggest protest for Burma in the UK so far. Gatherings were also held in Newcastle and Brighton." Read the rest of the article here . - Sujewa

From this BBC article that outlines world response to pro-democracy movement/recent protests & marches in Burma: " INDIA Relationship: It has close economic and diplomatic ties with Burma. It has expressed concern over the current crisis but generally maintains a careful silence over the situation, describing it as an internal affair of Burma. Former Defence Minister George Fernandez has described India's current position as "disgusting". Interests: India is concerned above all with protecting its oil interests in Burma, signing a new deep-water exploration deal in the same week that protests got under way. India also sells arms to the military regime in Rangoon. But as the world's most populous democracy, India is under pressure from the West and from activists at home to take a stronger stand in support of democratic forces in Burma. Comment: "As a close and friendly neighbour, India hopes to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Myanmar, where all

This first video is some footage of DC protesters outside the Chinese Embassy on Fri 9/28/07 afternoon: This video is of Buddhist monks from several countries (i know for a fact that several Sri Lankan monks are in that line up) chanting in front of the Chinese Embassy in DC, as a part of the same protest shown above: - Sujewa

Check out the video at the pro-democracy group in exile National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma's web site . Here is a description of the video: " "In Hiding" is a detailed account of human rights abuses committed by the Burma Army against ethnic minorities inside Burma over a one year period. It is an unrelenting documentary of disturbing images and firsthand stories; unadulterated evidence that the brutal military dictatorship of Burma continues its tyranny. And yet the film shows a people who resist the Burma Army and who, despite incredible difficulty, have hope. (Credit: Free Burma Rangers)" Check it out here . - Sujewa

Check out the photos here . Looks like this protest happened on 9/27/07. - Sujewa

Update on the short film project here . - Sujewa

check out a photo here (at some hard working photo-bloggers Flickr page, my photos will be up tomorrow (Sat) on this blog). the photo was taken in front of the Burmese Embassy it looks like. That small sign with the blue letters, in the background (read "Free Burma Now!"), is the one that i made/was holding for much of the time (rest of the time Ms. Amanda was holding it). more Burma protest photo links coming as i find them. Update : about a dozen photos from today's protest can be found here . Update : Channel 4 DC/NBC news segment with some footage from the protest in front of the Chinese Embassy Update: a blog entry with a list of Free Burma protests world wide Update 9/29/07 : a YouTube video , of one of the several places that the protest & march group demonstrated on Fri 9/28 - sujewa

Weather wise it was a lovely day for a protest & march. About 300 or so people gathered in front of the Burmese Embassy in Washington, DC today; Burmese people, various types of Americans, others, Buddhist monks, etc. There were signs expressing our concern for the peaceful protesters in Burma. We chanted & shouted about the need to free Burma, end the violence, free political protesters. Then the protest moved down to the Chinese Embassy, several blocks away, on Connecticut Ave. There were 300 - 500 protesters in front of the Chinese Embassy. A group of about 7 Buddhist monks (from various countries; Sri Lankan, perhaps Burmese, maybe Vietnamese or Thai also) addressed the crowd & chanted prayers. Then various speakers gave small speeches about the situation in Burma; the growing call for boycott of the '08 Olympics in China if China does not do anything positive & significant re: the situation in Burma, and plans for additional protests were announced. Pro

"Please use your liberty to promote ours" - 1991 Nobel Peace Prize receipient (& democratically elected & currently imprisoned leader of Burma) Aung San Suu Kyi Is two people blogging about something a blog-a-thon? :) Maybe. But, as the Burmese military dictatorship clamps down violently (some estimates say hundreds of protesters killed as of today & hundreds of monks in detention), protests outside of Burma will need to continue in order to get the world to push the Burmese junta into doing the right thing (like not beating & shooting peaceful protesters for one, also releasing the elected leader of Burma from a decade plus long house arrest). I am off to go to a protest & March in DC (see info. on protest & march at post below). Will blog stuff re: Burma later. In the meantime, here is Camera Stilo re: the US indie film bloggers re: Burma blog-a-thon. If you are an indie film blogger & you write about Burma this weekend, let me know or lea

Protest is organized by US Campaign for Burma . On Fri 9/28/07 at 4:00 PM protest (against current violent opposition to peaceful protesters in Burma) at the Burmese Embassy followed by a march to the Chinese Embassy along Connecticut Ave NW. Addresses & Directions: Burmese Embassy (meet there at 4 PM) 2300 S Street NW Washington, DC 20008 Directions to the Burmese Embassy from the Dupont Circle Station on the Red Line: - Exit station using Connecticut Ave & Q St NW exit - Walk approx. 2 blocks NW on Connecticut Ave NW - Turn left on S St NW - Walk approx. 2 blocks W on S St NW. Then march to (walking east on S St NW, and then north on Connecticut Ave NW to the Chinese Embassy): Chinese Embassy 2300 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC From a USCB e-mail passed on to me today by a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk in Wheaton, MD: "We are calling upon the one country that has military, economic, and diplomatic leverage over Burma to do something. That country is China. As host of th

Finally a news item that connects the film world (not indie film, but close enough for now :) and the pro-democracy protests in Burma, from US Campaign for Burma website , the introduction to the letter (letter dated 9/6/07): "Today, over 25 Hollywood celebrities sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urging him to "personally intervene" to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient. The letter was organized by the US Campaign for Burma and Human Rights Action Center and led by Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston. Click Here to Read the Lette

From US Campaign for Burma website: " Show Your Solidarity With the Saffron Revolution We are working on bringing in as many world leaders, celebrities, news agencies on board with this story, but you need to play your part as well. It will not just be Americans working for this, but a global movement as well. Starting this Wednesday (September 26th) we will begin a global week of ACTION. With an explosion of action we will make sure that everyone from world leadersto your next door neighbors have their eyes focused on Burma. Having this global focus will not only help in the protection of those demonstrating, but also make sure that the calls of the monks and civilians gets turned into international action. HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO: - Be a part of our 88,000 signatures campaign. I am asking people to collectively gather 88,000 signatures from around the world, calling on Chinese President Hu Jintao to compel Burma towards valid national reconciliation. Sign the petition here o

Here is the website for US Campaign for Burma , the Washington, DC based activist group that is working to bring democracy to Burma. Lots of information there about the current situation in Burma & how you can help the Burmese people. - Sujewa

Read about the junta's crackdown on peaceful protests here at Mizzima News . When peaceful protests are crushed, more Burmese might turn to violence & armed rebellion in order to improve their living conditions, as the people written about in this article at The Independent have had to do. - Sujewa

Mizzima News ; "Specializing in Burma related news & multi-media." Check them out for a lot of info. & updates re: the largely peaceful (on the side of the people at least), Buddhist monks led revolution/anti-junta protests going on in Burma right now. - Sujewa