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by NIKKI ROBERTI
Lifestyles Reporter
Imagine a place where if someone tried to protest peacefully, they’d be killed.
Free speech areas like Sanford Mall would not exist, and demonstrations where students spoke his or her mind would not only ignored, but crushed by authority.
That place is Burma.
On Oct. 22 at 8:30
p.m., International Appalachian will host a candlelight vigil at the
Amphitheater outside of Plemmons Student Union to raise awareness for
the Burmese people.
“There
are people [college] age that can’t even go to college because their
government has banned it,” Head Committee Leader of Social Affairs for
INTAPP and junior political science major Rachel A. Dolfi said. “There
are so many civil liberties we have as college students that they don’t
have. We have to be their voice.”
INTAPP Aid Coordinator and sophomore marketing major Bella Glauberman is helping organize the event.
She said Burma does not even exist anymore, and now goes by the name Myanmar as a result of the oppressive government.
With
other issues like Darfur, which are better known, Dolfi said she feels
like Burma often gets ignored because people are just unaware.
“I think
[Burma’s issues] can be overshadowed. This isn’t an issue people really
know about,” Dolfi said. “[But] once you have the information, you can
make the right decision.”
According
to FreeBurma.com, over 3,200 villages have been destroyed in eastern
Burma and over 600,000 people have been internally displaced.
In 2006, 82,000 people died or were forced to leave their homes, according to the site.
“We
don’t accept the new government,” Dolfi said. “It’s condemning the
people, killing thousands of monks every year and putting religious
people in prison. They are doing really horrible things.”
Glauberman
said the vigil is to help inform students about what is going on in
Burma. There will be a video shown and possibly speakers at the event.
“People
need to be aware of what’s going on with the Burmese right now because
there is so much the U.S. government can do to help,” Glauberman said.
“We’re going to have a petition to free some prisoners at the vigil for
people to sign.”
One
prisoner in particular is Daw Aung San Suu Kye, a Nobel Peace prize
winner who has been in and out of prison due to her efforts to free the
Burmese, Glauberman said.
According to the site, she is currently being held under house arrest.
While
INTAPP will be hosting petitions and accepting donations at the vigil
to help the cause, Glauberman said the campaign’s focus is educating
students.
She hopes those who attend the vigil will leave empowered and the cause will spread by word of mouth.
“It’s an
eye-opening experience, Glauberman said. “And once you learn about
something that’s going on, it’s hard to turn your back on it.”
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