Spreading laughter: Women Burma activists launch joke campaign
Spreading laughter: Women Burma activists launch joke campaign
For Immediate Release: May 27, 2010
Bangkok: Alternative Asean Network on Burma’s (Altsean-Burma) women interns will launch a campaign of jokes to raise awareness about the unfair election that will be held by the Burma’s military junta later this year. The organizers of the campaign, who support Burma’s pro-democracy movement, would like to encourage the people of Burma to not participate in the election because this election only supports the regime to get international legitimacy and will not benefit the people.
The campaign includes 11 jokes that show how Burma’s 2010 election will not be free and fair. The young women hope the jokes will be broadcasted through radio in Burmese and posted on websites in Burmese, ethnic languages and English throughout Burma. Altsean-Burma interns, young women from different ethnic groups in Burma, are raising awareness of State Peace and Development Council’s (SPDC) manipulation of the election. The group decided to produce jokes to overcome the atmosphere of fear that the regime was imposing in Burma. The aim of the group is to encourage media to use these jokes freely and spread the message faster.
“The SPDC says they are working toward democracy but actually they prevent all democratic activities and kill democracy. This election is meaningless and looks like a joke,” said a member of joke campaign group.
Altsean-Burma Coordinator Debbie Stothard said that those who had been consulted about the campaign were impressed and excited: “I couldn’t resist sharing one of the jokes on a recent speaking tour in Europe and Australia, and the response was excellent. This is a creative strategy that uses laughter to empower the people to see beyond the regime’s oppressive propaganda.”
Members of the international community are also raising concern about the SPDC’s election process, expressing doubts that the election will be free and fair. Mr. Kurt Campbell the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, who recently met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told the media: “As a result, what we have seen to date leads us to believe that these elections will lack international legitimacy”.
The SPDC controls all the amendment of the constitution because the military occupied 25% of seats in at all sector of the parliament and the amendment requires more than 75% of the approval of member of the parliament.
The SPDC detained 2199 democracy activists including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. According to the 2010 election law, all the political prisoners are excluded from running as a candidate in the election and the SPDC proxy party is ensured to win the election. That is why the group strongly opposes the manipulation of the SPDC over undemocratic election that will bring instability instead of progress for people.
The full text of the jokes in Burmese and English can be viewed as “Burma 2010 election is a joke” at -
Nayjarine.blogspot.com
Youtube.com : NayJarRine
Facebook.com: Burma’s 2010 Election is a Joke
Contact:
Name: Mi Soe and Ms. July
Email: altseanburmaintern@gmail.com
Tel: +66890057121, +66835651937
B
For Immediate Release: May 27, 2010
Bangkok: Alternative Asean Network on Burma’s (Altsean-Burma) women interns will launch a campaign of jokes to raise awareness about the unfair election that will be held by the Burma’s military junta later this year. The organizers of the campaign, who support Burma’s pro-democracy movement, would like to encourage the people of Burma to not participate in the election because this election only supports the regime to get international legitimacy and will not benefit the people.
The campaign includes 11 jokes that show how Burma’s 2010 election will not be free and fair. The young women hope the jokes will be broadcasted through radio in Burmese and posted on websites in Burmese, ethnic languages and English throughout Burma. Altsean-Burma interns, young women from different ethnic groups in Burma, are raising awareness of State Peace and Development Council’s (SPDC) manipulation of the election. The group decided to produce jokes to overcome the atmosphere of fear that the regime was imposing in Burma. The aim of the group is to encourage media to use these jokes freely and spread the message faster.
“The SPDC says they are working toward democracy but actually they prevent all democratic activities and kill democracy. This election is meaningless and looks like a joke,” said a member of joke campaign group.
Altsean-Burma Coordinator Debbie Stothard said that those who had been consulted about the campaign were impressed and excited: “I couldn’t resist sharing one of the jokes on a recent speaking tour in Europe and Australia, and the response was excellent. This is a creative strategy that uses laughter to empower the people to see beyond the regime’s oppressive propaganda.”
Members of the international community are also raising concern about the SPDC’s election process, expressing doubts that the election will be free and fair. Mr. Kurt Campbell the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, who recently met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told the media: “As a result, what we have seen to date leads us to believe that these elections will lack international legitimacy”.
The SPDC controls all the amendment of the constitution because the military occupied 25% of seats in at all sector of the parliament and the amendment requires more than 75% of the approval of member of the parliament.
The SPDC detained 2199 democracy activists including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. According to the 2010 election law, all the political prisoners are excluded from running as a candidate in the election and the SPDC proxy party is ensured to win the election. That is why the group strongly opposes the manipulation of the SPDC over undemocratic election that will bring instability instead of progress for people.
The full text of the jokes in Burmese and English can be viewed as “Burma 2010 election is a joke” at -
Nayjarine.blogspot.com
Youtube.com : NayJarRine
Facebook.com: Burma’s 2010 Election is a Joke
Contact:
Name: Mi Soe and Ms. July
Email: altseanburmaintern@gmail.com
Tel: +66890057121, +66835651937
B
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