Statement on World Youth Day for Democracy

By Nationalities Youth Forum, Students and Youth Congress of Burma, All Burma Federation of
Student Unions, and Generation Wave | October 18, 2010
Release all student and youth political prisoners in Burma
October 18 marks World Youth Day for Democracy, a day when students and youth around the
world stand in solidarity with young people imprisoned in Burma for taking part in pro-democracy
activities. On this day, four student and youth alliances; are urging the international community to
put pressure on the Burmese military regime to:
1. Release all students and youth political prisoners effective immediately, along with all other
political prisoners.
2. Stop the oppression of democratic students and youth activists who are seeking freedom and
human rights protection.
3. Stop attacks in the ethnic areas where students and youth have to face difficult situations.
4. Commence a dialogue with democratic and ethnic forces to stop the root causes of current
problems, which brings hardship and injustice to students and youth in Burma.
Many political prisoners in Burma are students and youth. Young people often receive harsh
punishments when they resist the dictatorship and some have been subjected to life-long
imprisonment. Some have even been sentenced to more than 100 years in prison, simply because
they participated in their university’s student union.
Young people’s thirst for democracy, freedom and human rights is great and many have risked their
freedom when joining non-violent demonstrations against the military regime. Although, students
and youth are the future of the nation, in Burma, they are subjected to the military dictatorship’s
brutal and abusive practices. In many parts of the country, young people are deeply affected by
increasing poverty. They lack educational opportunities and adequate healthcare. They often are
forced to work as child laborers or are recruited to become child soldiers. Growing up in these dire
conditions, they experience many human rights violations.
The upcoming November 7, 2010 elections have been designed to ensure the current military
regime remains in power. We predict that the human rights situation of students, youth and all the
people of Burma will only worsen after the elections.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and democratic leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, appealed to the world
to, “use your liberty to promote ours.” The All Burma Federation of Student Unions-Foreign Affairs
Committee, Generation Wave, The Nationalities Youth Forum and the Student and Youth Congress
of Burma are repeating her call to the international community. We urge you to support our demand
to the Burmese military regime to free all student and youth political prisoners now.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Thwin Linn Aung: + 66 (0) 878502354 (All Burma Federation of Student Unions-Foreign Affairs
Committee)
Aung Marm Oo: + 66 (0) 816736326 (Students and Youth Congress of Burma)