* * PRESS RELEASE **

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHAT:
North American Driving Campaign for Free Burma - LA Stop

Kyaw Sithu, a Burmese refugee forced to flee his motherland after the 1988 democracy uprising, will be in Los Angeles as part of his cross-continent solo drive called North America Campaign for Free Burma Road Trip. The cross continent “Driving for Burma” initiative was aimed at raising awareness of inhumane conditions in Burma under the military dictatorship. See below for more details. A caravan will follow him in all the stops in LA.

He will stop at the Pasadena City Hall for a Rally and stop at Mayor Bogaard's place to deliver a letter to the Mayor denouncing China’s support of Burma’s military dictators.

DATE:
Sunday, December 16, 2007

TIME:
Schedule of Road Trip

9:30 a.m.
La Puente Burma Buddhist Temple
10:00 a.m.
Caravan Parade around San Gabriel Valley
11:30 a.m.
Break for lunch, return to La Puente Temple.
1:30 p.m.
Leave for Pasadena
2:00 p.m.
Pasadena City Hall Rally for Free Burma. Press Conference.
2:45 p.m.
Caravan to Mayor Bogaard's place and deliver letter
3:00 p.m.
Caravan to Consulate of the Peoples’ Republic of China
3:30 p.m.
Arrive at the Chinese Consulate at 443 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, 90020.
Next stop: Caravan to Hollywood
4:15 p.m.
Arrive at Kodak Theatre. Next stop: Caravan to Santa Monica
5:15 p.m.
Arrive at Santa Monica Pier. Next stop: Caravan to Jasmine Restaurant.
6:00 p.m
Arrive at Jasmine Restaurant in Culver City


CONTACT INFORMATION:
Pyi (626) 607-5100 or tutpi@msn.com,
Organizer for Free Burma Drive in Los Angeles.

Si Thu is available for interviews in Los Angeles on Sunday, December 16.

A press conference will be held in front of Pasadena City Hall at 2 p.m on Sunday, 16th December 2007.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The people of Burma have been forced to live under the brutal military dictatorship since 1962. Many attempts to restore freedom and democracy have been violently crushed by the Burmese military. The latest violent crackdown by the military regime began when thousands of protesters led by monks took to the streets in September 2007 to peacefully protest rising costs of basic commodities and political reform. The world simply stood by and watched as the "Saffron Revolution" unfolded in Burma where protesters and onlookers were beaten, gunned down and hauled to prisons known for torturing and killing political prisoners. Despite the brutal military crackdown, the brave non violent struggles continues and the people of Burma need your help more than ever.

Burmese and Burmese monks have testified in front of the Pasadena City Council and the Pasaden Commission on Human Relations about China's complicity on human rights violations in Burma. On October 29, the Pasadena City Council voted against the Commission recommendations in making a strong statement about China's human rights violations. Mayor Bogaard's subsequent letter to the Sisters Cities even identified those testimonies as merely "allegations".