Amnesty International Scotland

DIARY NOTICE and PHOTO-OPPORTUNITY: Friday 8 August, 12.30-1.00pm

EDINBURGH: BURMA DEMO TO MARK 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UPRISING

Campaigners to hold aloft saffron ribbon in ‘real-life theatre’ Festival demo

Members of Scotland’s Burmese community, supported by Amnesty International Scotland, will stage a peaceful demonstration on Friday 8 August from 12.30-1.00pm at the City Chambers in Edinburgh’s High Street to make the 20th anniversary of the uprising in Burma.

On 8 August 1988 (8/8/88) hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Burma to protest against human rights abuses by the ruling military junta. The protests were crushed and over 3,000 peaceful protestors were killed, with thousands more imprisoned or “disappeared”.

Some 2,050 political prisoners remain incarcerated. Around 900 people have been jailed in the past ten months alone, including many involved in last September’s “Saffron Revolution”.

Amnesty International’s demonstration comes as the organisation is supporting the staging of a hard-hitting new play on Burma at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival - “The Burma Play: a comedy of terror”. The acclaimed work, performed by the Northern International Theatre group, is being staged at St John’s Church in the city during 4-10 August.

Cast members from The Burma Play will be forming part of the 8 August demonstration and Amnesty International is encouraging Festival-goers to take part in a piece of “real-life theatre” by joining in with the highly colourful demonstration.

The demo will involve a huge 30-metre-long saffron ribbon being held aloft, symbolising solidarity with Burmese monks and others who have protested for human rights in Burma.

There will be a special open-air performance of The Burma Play immediately after the 12.30pm protest. This is free but tickets must be reserved at scotland@amnesty.org.uk , 0131 313 7012.

Notes to editors:
“The Burma Play: a comedy of terror” is supported by Amnesty International Scotland, The Burma Educational Scholarship Trust, The Co-operative Bank and The Festival of Spirituality And Peace.

Amnesty International spokespeople will be available for comment and interview.

ENDS

Media information:

John Watson: 0131 313 7012, 07818 453070, john.watson@amnesty.org.uk
Neil Durkin: 0131 313 7005, 07771 888826, neil.durkin@amnesty.org.uk /p>

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/edinburghfestivals /p>

Read the Amnesty Festival blog at: https://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/edinburghfestival br /> http://www.theburmaplay.com /p>