Mantua, Ohio is not known for it’s peace marches; so when one comes to town, you take notice.  This morning 6 Burmese nationals made their way North on OH 44 on their way to completing a 900 mile journey from Fort Wayne, IN to NYC.  Their mission: to raise awareness for human rights violations in Burma.

Well over a year ago, a cyclone landed Burma in American news headlines.  Scrutiny followed, as the world learned its relief efforts had been held up by the Burmese government.  Worse, a report issued by an undercover Johns Hopkins University researcher cited:

“systematic obstruction of aid, wilful acts of theft and sale of relief supplies, forced relocation, and the use of forced labour for reconstruction projects, including forced child labour”.

The modern era of Burmese politics began in 1988, when the citizens rallied for democracy.  Thousands of demonstrators were killed and the state formed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).  In 1990 following the first free elections in nearly 30 years, the National League for Democracy won 392 seats out of 489 of the Burmese Parliament and NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi was elected Prime Minister.

The victory was short lived, as the SLORC nullified the results of the election and retained power via military junta.  Currently, Prime Minister-Elect, 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner, and winner of the 2000 Presidential Medal of Freedom, Ms. Suu Kyi is a political prisoner of the SLORC, who renamed themselves the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

Today, Myint Lwin, head of the Myanmar Writers and Journalists Association, jumped 3 stories to his death.

“He arrived in the office at about 10 a.m. (local time) and was arranging seats and tables for a regular meeting. After finishing what he was doing he got up and jumped out of the window,” a colleague, who attended the meeting, told Mizzima.

Another colleague, who also requested anonymity said, “He [Myint Lwin] left a note on the table, which read — ‘I am responsible for failing to maintain and for the loss of public property’.”

“He left a wrist watch, a ball point-pen, two currency notes of Kyat 500 and took off his sandals,” added the colleague.

Seeing these men walk through rural Mantua, it was not difficult to feel their frustration, a frustration that led Myint Lwin to take his life.  Oppression kills slowly, especially when it parades itself as State Peace and Development.  The blog for the long march group is located here.  It is written in Burmese, but the pictures are worth several thousand words.

Aung San Suu Kyi is quoted in their literature as asking,

“Please use your liberty to promote ours.”

Free Burma Rangers lists stories of the Junta’s brutality against Burmese citizens.  Thailand is currently sending Burmese refugees back to their country only to be tortured by a government entity.

If you happen to see the marchers in your area, take a moment to engage them in conversation.  You’ll be glad you did.  Ream readers: please pray for those struggling for their freedoms today and be grateful for your own.