"Conquer of King" still Alive for Freedom
By Tin Maung Htoo
Burma Media Association
Oct 18 -- Toronto. To Canadian students the name "Conquer of King" is a bit strange, but his passionate portray is a familiar face and recognizable as a famous Burmese student leader in Canada as thousands of his postcards have been flying over dozens of university campuses. More than 10 thousands of postcards signed by students around the country have been sent to Burmese Embassy in Ottawa, and some powerful student organizations including Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) are still in motion for his freedom campaign.
Today, especially synchronizing with his 39th birthday, Canadian students have honored his ultimate dedication by holding a special event at a Canadian University as it has taken place in a number countries in the world.
At McGill University in Canada, dozens of students have gathered today evening and listened to speeches given by some Canadian student activists who are closely linked to Burma Democracy Movement.
Julia MacIssan, a student from Guelph University and two-time visitor to Thai-Burma border, delivered a speech about her experiences on Thai-Burma border and day-to-day situation of student lives in Burma. She detailed about how hardships for a student to pursue a proper education in Burma, in terms of severe restrictions, poor facilities and repeated closure.
Another enthusiastic student activist Jean Michelle who went to Burma last year to meet with some Burmese students and opposition figures including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also gave a speech including ongoing campaign for free Min Ko Naing in Canada.
Min Ko Naing, the chairman of All Burma Federation of Student Unions, is now a role model for student activists abroad to the fact that he has enormously sacrificed his youthful time and life in so desperate prison for over a decade. His appalling stories in prison, for the advocacy of freedom of expression and Democracy, frighten everyone here. He was honored with "Freedom Award" in Canada and "International Student Peace Prize" in Norway, among others. Arrested in 1989 and sentenced to 20-year imprisonment for leading role in 1988 democracy movement, the military junta later reduced half of his initial sentence.
However, his remaining sentence was already over since last two years ago, and he still remains in prison without any explicit charges upon him.
"We call on Burma's military dictatorship to immediately and unconditionally release student leader, Min Ko Naing on his 39th birthday," demanded in today's statement jointly released by Canadian Federation of Students, Carleton University Student Association, the University of Ottawa's Graduate Student Association, and Canadian Friends of Burma.
While thoroughly focusing on the condition of the most famous student leader, the joint statement consciously reminds that there are more than 300 Burmese students in various prisons today.
In the meantime, Washington-based Free Burma Coalition also facilitates a solidarity action today for his release. Armed with more than 20 universities in U.S., it calls more harsh and punitive actions for the military government over various human rights abuses including detaining thousands of dissidents and students.
"We ask our fellow students to call on our college, university, or high school to stop supporting corporations that prop up Burma's brutal military regime," stated in the press release. In the relevant development recently resulted from University of Virginia in U.S., student activists, supports with student council and faculty members, could persuade the school board to sell about $ 2 million worth 5,0000 shares from Unocal Company that is investing in Burma rejecting any call to pull out of Burma.
Along with strong stance in hand, American student activists encourage fellow students all over the world to send a letter to the Burmese embassy demanding the immediate release of Min Ko Naing and all other political prisoners.