The World Federation of Democratic Youth would like to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of 8888 people’s uprising and express its solidarity with the struggling people of Burma and with our member organization there for their aspiration of peace, democracy and change.

The history of Burma is full of struggle by the students since its liberation colonialism and there are remarkable movements in last 50 years against military dictatorship. The most historic and notable student movement in Burmese history can be listed as Uly 7th Students movement in 1962, Rangoon University demonstration in 1970, U Thant Demonstration 1974, 7777 Movement 1977, Phone Maw Affair, march 13-18, 1988 and other series of recorded student movements in Burmese History. The struggle against military regime in Burma is the history of student struggle in which they have the inspirational and vanguard role for change. The climax of all the student movement was 8888 people uprising in 8th August 1988 has significant bearing in Burmese Democratic Movement that was started from March 1988 related with Phone Maw Affair.

The 1988 students’ uprising in Burma has brought hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life into the street. The teachers, professionals, doctors, nurses, monks, farmers, workers, civil servant, ethnic minorities came together into street against military regime with sacrifice of thousands of life and sustained injury. The suppression has made more than 1ten thousand students to flee to join arm struggle where as many more to continue struggle from neighboring countries. More than 6000 activists where put into prison. Universities were made close for a long time.

The movement has made to resign the military ruler Ne Win. It has brought the unity among all the forces of Burma; and as a result in the election of 1990, the National League for Democracy led by Daw Aung Sann Suu Kyi had won 80 percent of total seats however military Junta did not recognize it rather put Suu Kyi into house arrest and continued its ruthless suppression against people.

Almost all the struggling figures of Burma including Aung San Suu Kyi are the product of 1988 people’s uprising, and the movement is still pivotal and great inspirational for the success of democratic struggle in Burma. The movement has the international significance as it was closely aspired by the South Korean Students Movement and great uprising against Marcos regime in Philippine.

On this occasion, we reaffirm our commitment to support the struggle of Burmese Youth and Students for democracy and change; we demand the military regime to relinquish all the power and handover it to the people, especially to NLD and its leadership. We welcome the release of Aung San Suu Kyi as it is one step victory of people and demand the immediate release of all political prisoners.

We express our full solidarity with our member organizations namely ABSL and ABFSU for their continue struggle to reinstate democracy in the country.

The World Federation of Democratic Youth would like to express its happiness over the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from her long house imprisonment. She has sacrificed 15 years of her life in house imprisonment in different times of last 21 years for the sake of democracy in Burma. The sad irony of history is that she was put into house imprisonment by military Junta instead of her party had a position to rule the government winning 2/3 majority in parliament in the election of 1990.

WFDY had been always demanding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma. We had already denounced the election declared unilaterally without not participation of Aun San Suu Kyi in the process.

Her release is not still too late as Burma is in dire need of reconciliation, peace, democracy, stability and independence of the country so that the people of Burma could achieve this without any imperialist intervention, war and occupation.

We still believe that Aung San Suu Kyi could have the key role on this process to mainstreaming ethnic groups in conflicts for a long time and to restore democracy in the country.

We demand to military Junta to release all political prisoners and start national reconciliation from the bottom where military should not have the key role to govern the country. We strongly demand the assurance of her freedom and central roles on this whole process.

The day of 1988. 8. 8 coupled with four 8 is very glorious and significant for democratic movement in Burma with a vanguard role of students and youths, and joined later by workers, monks, famers and civilian against the army rule in Burma. This student driven movement has left golden leafs in the history of world youth and student’s movement. It is great to know that people of Burma are commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the day.The student movement was broke out from university with dissatisfaction of students to lose money due to crazy decision to dispose the notes not devisable by number 9 which was lucky number of Junta ruler Ne Win by superstition. The irony is that the student movement heightened and broke-out in august 8, 1988 that Burmese fighter of democratic rights always proud with this lucky number 8888. This gave them hope that they can fight against military ruler for justice, peace and democracy.

In this movement more than 150000 people took part in the demonstration all over the country. The street of Rangun was full of people with all walks of life chanting slogan for democracy. The universities were converted into places of peaceful resistance. They were resisting and demanding justice for the death of their comrades. They chanted their slogan and they read their poems of their aspirations. This peaceful course could not go on and it was cracked down. The huge demonstration was suppressed in the street leaving death of hundreds of students. There are estimates even thousands of civilians. Thousands of demonstrators were detained. Universities were closed down for a long time.

This 8888 uprising laid foundation of all democratic movement in Burma now. It made army ruler Ne Win to resign. Democratic leader Aung Sung Su Ki, U Tin Oo, U Win Tin and her party the National League for Democracy was emerged from the background of this uprising. The generation of 1988 struggle is still the struggling pillars of democracy in country and in exile. It was the movement supported by all walks of life in Burma- the students, women, monks, workers, farmers, civil servants, doctors, teachers etc. It was the movement joined by the people of different ideology- the liberals, the lefts, communists, democrats and civilians in pursuance of their common liberty.

After the crack-down of 88 upraising, many student leaders choose different path to go in the border of Burma and Thailand for the revolt and many of them are in exile. In the election of 1990 the National League for Democracy won more than two third majorities. But, the tragedy of Burma is still haunting against the common life of people. Their leader Aung Sung Su Ki has spent more than 14 years in house arrest in last 20 years. More than 2000 political prisoners are still behind the bar. Students and Monks are always the subject to be thrashed by baton in the street and even bearing fate to death. WFDY understands that the hard life of youth leaders in exile just to continue their struggle in hope of fair system of democracy free from all kinds of maneuvers and their aspiration to return home safely.

On this occasion, WFDY is very much concerned with recently orchestrated election by SPDC to create a puppet parliament in the hands of Army. The army will have right to dispose the parliament at any time in one hand and on the other they will fill one quarter of seats in force granted. The most important and shocking part of this election is that NLD leader Aung Sung Su Ki is designed to put behind the bar for more time and denied to take part in the election. Still more than two thousand political prisoners are not released.

So that WFDY joins the call of our member organizations in Burma to boycott the Sham-election. We once again support the struggle carrying out by Burmese people, youth and students for their democratic rights on this occasion. We appeal international community to put pressure against Junta regime to stop the drama of this election and release Aung Sun Su Ki and to restore democracy at will of Burmese people.