ATTENTION: Newsdesk - Press Release from Burma Action Ireland, Feb 5 2005

‘Burma – Beyond The Silence’; Harn Yawnghwe, leading figure in Burma’s democracy movement holds public meetings in Galway, Dublin & Belfast.

Harn Yawnghwe (pronounced Harn Yong-Shway), arrives in Dublin February 6 for a series of three public meetings organised by Burma Action Ireland, on the theme of ‘Burma – Beyond The Silence’. Harn will speak on the latest political developments in Burma and why it is we hear so little. Topics covered also include, did Burma escape the tsunami; what is the current status of Aung San Suu Kyi and what Irish people can do to help stem human rights abuses in Burma.
Harn will be joined on all three panels by Burma Action Ireland Chairman, Hugh Baxter.
Monday February 7 @ 8pm, Galway, SIPTU Hall, Forster Court

Speakers: Lord Mayor of Galway, Catherine Connolly (intro remarks), Michael D Higgins (Foreign Affairs spokesman, Irish Labour Party), Dr Kathleen Cavanaugh (Lecturer in Human Rights, NUI Galway).

Tuesday February 8 @ 8pm, Dublin, The Mansion House, Dawson Street

Speakers: David Joyce (Development Education Officer, Irish Congress of Trade Unions), Muireann O Briain SC (Child Protection Consultant).

Wednesday February 9 @ 5.45pm, Belfast, Belfast City Hall

Amongst other speakers will be: The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tom Ekin; Carmel Hanna MLA (Chairperson of the all-party International Development Group); Patrick Corrigan (Programme Director, Amnesty International), other local political representatives.

Harn Yawnghwe biog (1948 - )

Harn is the youngest son of Sao Shwe Thaike, the last ruler of the ancient kingdom of Yawnghwe and the first president of Burma at independence in 1948. Harn escaped to Thailand in 1963 at the age of fifteen after the Burmese military seized power, killed his brother and arrested his father, who died in prison. He was granted political asylum in Canada in 1969. He has served at the highest level in Burma’s exiled democracy movement. From 1991-2002 he was special advisor to Dr Sein Win, Burma’s Prime Minister in exile, and for the last 4 years has been a senior advisor to the leadership of Burma’s many ethnic nationalities. He is also Director of the Euro-Burma Office in Brussels, which promotes democratic development in Burma.

Editor’s Note: The human rights record of Burma’s military government is among the worst in the world. Among its excesses are wide scale forced labour, conscription of child soldiers, political prisoners, torture, extra-judicial executions, systematic rape and forced relocation of ethnic minorities. Aung San Suu Kyi formed the National League for Democracy in 1988 and opposed military rule by pursuing democratic and non-violent political solutions. Her party won the last free election in Burma by a landslide in 1990. She has endured 3 separate periods of detention totalling over 9 years. Her current detention began with a May 30 2003 attack by regime-sponsored thugs on her convoy of vehicles, during which many of her supporters were killed.

For further details, including interview requests, please contact

John Copley at Burma Action Ireland on mobile: 00353-(0)87-6958756

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