Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Burmese expatriates in Jamaica will today stage a peaceful march to show solidarity with their countrymen who were devastated by a cyclone last week and have received negligible aid because of tight controls by the military dictatorship.

The protest will commence outside the United States Embassy in St Andrew at 9 a.m.

Spokesperson for the group, Dr Soe Naung, told The Gleaner the Burmese would march from the embassy to the offices of the United Nations.

"The march is to express our sympathy and condolences to those who died in Cyclone Nargis and to show solidarity, concern and care for those who live and are trying to survive there (in Myanmar)," the medical doctor said.

Showing gratitude

In addition, he said the group wants to show gratitude to two nations - the United States and France and two organisations, the European Union and the United Nations.

"Even though the junta is refusing to allow aid workers access into the country, we are urging these nations and organisations to do even more," said Naung.

The death toll in the Asian nation remains uncertain. Up to press time, media reports claimed the death toll had jumped to 28,000.

British aid group Oxfam was also quoted on Sunday as saying that the death toll could rise to 1.5 million if people do not get clean water and sanitation soon.

"Over two million are homeless, and are facing the aftermath of tropical diseases," said Naung, who still has relatives living there.

Bloody hands

One of the most important issues on the expatriates' agenda is to ensure that the Jamaican Government and all other countries attending the Law of the Sea Conference here in June do not welcome or "shake the bloody hands" of the two military Burmese representatives who are billed to attend the event.

"We are requesting that those attending the conference will use their own liberty to promote the need for ours and help us rejoin the family of free nations," urged the Burmese doctor.

Myanmar (formerly called Burma), which got independence from Britain in 1948, was placed under military rule in 1962 during a staged coup by the late General Ne Win.

Second-generation military leader, General Than Shwe, has been running the country since Ne Win's death.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com