Burma VJ

(photo: Ed Fraiman)

Burma is the largest country in Southeast Asia. It is just south of China and is also known as the Union of Mayanmar. Burma is currently ruled by a military regime led by senior general Than Shwe, the head of state who governs the country through violence, suppression fear. The co-founder of Myanmar's main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - is Aung San Suu Kyi, who has endured unofficial detention, house arrest and restrictions on her movement since 1989. She is one of the country's best-known political figures and campaigners for human rights, and numerous organizations - including Amnesty International - have appealed for her release continually. In September 25, 2007 over 5,000 monks lead a non-violent protest in Yangon. The military responded by opening fire on the crowd. A new documentary called Burma VJ covered this protest from the ground up. The people of burma continue to fight oppression despite the military stronghold. It is important that people around the world understand what is happening in Burma and put pressure on their governments to call for aid and intervention. This is not a trendy cause. This is a human cause. Please support Burma VJ, which is out in theatres this month.