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Burma - The Land of Fear
Burma, a country of around 50 million people is ruled by fear. A military machine of 400,000 soldiers denies a whole nation its most basic rights. Aung San Suu Kyi, pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace laureate, symbolises the struggle of Burma's people to be free.

She has spent many years under house arrest. When she was released in May 2002, there was widespread hope that it would be a step towards democracy in Burma and lead to serious political reform. However, during a recent tour of northern Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters were attacked by a government sponsored mob. The attack took place in Depayin on 30 May 2003. As many as 70 people were killed in the attack and over 100 people arrested, including Aung San Suu Kyi. She remains in incommunicado detention and all National League for Democracy (NLD) offices have been closed.

Aung San Suu Kyi's message is a simple one - that only by fighting fear can you truly be free - a message Burma's military fears and aims to silence.

Burma is ruled by one of the most brutal and corrupt regimes in the world:

Millions of men, women and children in forced labour

One and a half million refugees within Burma's borders

Around 1500 political prisoners

50,000 child soldiers - more than any other country in the world.

The world's largest producer of illegal opium

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), a United Nations agency, charge Burma's regime with a "crime against humanity" for its widespread and systematic use of forced labour.

The ILO describes how men, women, children and the elderly are forced to labour on roads, railways and other construction projects They also face punishments which include: "money demands, physical abuse, beatings, torture, rape and murder"

The military has sought foreign investment in order to rescue it from bankruptcy. A worrying consequence of the investment is the way it has provided foreign currency which has helped the regime to expand the army - in turn helping it to maintain power.

Currently the regime has 400,000 military personnel. It hopes to increase numbers to half a million within two years.

A country of only 50 million people will have one of the largest armies in Asia yet has no external enemies.

Companies like TotalFinaElf (of France) and Unocal (of the USA) are major investors in Burma. The Burma Campaign UK (BCUK) aims to pressure these companies to withdraw from Burma and cease their support for the regime.

The UK government is no friend of the regime but is proving to be a weaker than expected opponent. In opposition the Labour Party supported Aung San Suu Kyi’s call for economic sanctions. Now in government it has failed to impose them. BCUK is lobbying the government to honour their pre-election position.

Aung San Suu Kyi's Party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 82% of the seats in the 1990 election.

The people of Burma overwhelmingly rejected military rule yet the military continues to refuse to transfer power to Burma's democratically elected leaders.

The NLD, ethnic nationalities, students and monks continue to resist the regime despite a highly repressive political environment. The campaign for a democratic Burma has become international and continues to grow in strength.

Pressure from groups throughout Europe, North America and Asia has forced a long list of companies to withdraw from Burma.

These include: Texaco, Levi Strauss, Motorola. Ericsson, Pepsico, Heineken, Carlsberg, Amoco, Liz Claiborne, C&A, Triumph International, Premier Oil and many others.

The US government has imposed sanctions on the regime, while more than twenty US states, cities and counties, including New York and San Francisco, aim not to award contracts to companies which do business in Burma.

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