Date: September 2, 2003

From: All Burmese Democratic Forces in the United States

Subject: Urgent action from the Security Council needed as Noble Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi puts her own life at risk by launching hunger strike

Your Excellency:

Champion of freedom who has been fighting for the freedom of millions is now defending her own!

Aung San Suu Kyi, a symbol of courage and a ray of hope for the people of Burma, who has led the revolution to restore freedom and democracy in Burma for the past fifteen years, has launched a bold and brave move against the brutal dictators of Burma. Ambushed and jailed by regime’s thugs, Aung San Suu Kyi, while living in custody and risking her life, has begun a hunger strike in order to protest her illegal detention.

Since the Depeyin Massacre of May 30, 2003, in which her convoy was ambushed leaving scores of the NLD members and their sympathizers dead, political landscape of Burma has enormously changed for the worse. Reports of witnesses of Depayin and observers from the American Embassy who visited the site of the massacre point to the motive as “assassination attempt” rather than duplicitous and deceitful explanation from the regime as “protective custody.” Since that bloody day, Aung San Suu Kyi has started her infinite, unjust and illegal prison term; her whereabouts, her well-being and her existence have become unknown to the rest of the world. To our deep sadness, a press release from the U.S. State Department on August 31st said that she was on a hunger strike. Worries spread across the globe, striking millions of people’s hearts and souls. Yet, one thing must be clear: the military regime of Burma, and it alone, will be held responsible for any damage to her health. Aung San Suu Kyi who has been fighting for the freedom of her people is now in a life-and-death struggle for her own.

Time is of course the essence, and it definitely is against her. Each moment is critical. These days could very well be the final chapter of her life unless the military dictators immediately undo its unjust and illegal detention of her. Whether she will continue to be a living as a promise of human rights and democracy for the oppressed people depends on how effectively we can force the military regime towards her immediate release. Should we fail to do so, humanity will regret, for pages in its history will be filled with how our generation fails to save the life of a Noble Laureate.

Based solely on our deepest concern for the well-being of our leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, we, All Burmese Democratic Forces in the United States of America, join here in front of the United Nations in support of her struggle for her freedom. Starting from September 2, 2003, we also launch our hunger strike campaign that will continuously stretch into the future until she ends hers and demand the followings:

1. for the Secretay-General to heed this issue as an emergency and get involved to free Aung San Suu Kyi immediately and unconditionally

2. for the Security Council of the United Nations to take urgent, significant, and concrete action to free people of Burma from all forms of human rights abuses committed systematically by the regime of Burma.

Due to the urgent nature of the situation, we like to remind you that any further delay in fulfilling above demands can lead to the loss of the Noble Laureate's life—the greatest loss for the people of Burma.

Respectfully,

All Burmese Democratic Forces in the United States

Hunger Strike Committee
Ph. 718-335-5923
41- 45 73rd St.
Woodside, N.Y. 11377

Copies sent to :

President George W Bush (USA)

Prime Minister Tony Blair (UK)

President Jacques Chirac (France)

President Hu Jintao (China)

President Vladimir Putin (Russia)