Inspire Magazine - Change for Burma! tour highlights human rights violations

Inspire Magazine - Change for Burma! tour highlights human rights violations

A UK tour highlighting the plight of thousands of people living under Burma’s brutal regime, continues during February with more visits to churches and Christian groups.

Change for Burma! a joint campaign between Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and Partners Relief and Development UK, aims to raise awareness, kickstart international action over Burma’s human rights violations and bring long-lasting change for the country.

Sarah Armitage who works with Partners Relief and Development UK on the Thai-Burma border and is one of the speakers on the tour, said they had also met with MPs and government departments about the desperate situation in Burma.

“Although everything’s quiet in the media at the moment, it’s really not OK there. We need to work together to show to the world what the junta is doing and speak out on behalf of the voiceless.

“Burma is the kind of story that when you tell it it moves people’s hearts. They are interested in how the violations are allowed to happen and how little is being done internationally.”

According to Change for Burma! more than 2,000 political prisoners are in jail and subjected to terrible torture. In addition:
* Over 70,000 child soldiers have been forcibly conscripted into the army.
* Over 3,200 villages in Burma in Eastern Burma have been destroyed since 1996.
* Over 2.5 million people are suffering as a result of the cyclone and the regime’s obstruction of aid.
* Over 1 million people are displaced in the jungle.

Sarah Armitage said people can do something, however small, to help. “Prayer is the best way to change lives and giving even a small amount of money can really help bring freedom for the people of Burma.”

Another way is to join the Change for Burma! campaign and write to your MP. She said letters of encouragement to internally displaced people and the workers who care for them were also highly appreciated, as were enquiries from those who want to go to the Thai-Burma border to help.

“We need people who can teach English, run children’s workshops, opticians, dentists, people to run clinics – whatever your skill we can put it to good use. We’ve even had a string quartet come and do a concert for the children. We would encourage anyone who thinks they can help to get in touch.”