Lanna Action for Burma

Press Release

www.lannaactionforburma.blogspot.com
Contact: lannaactionforburma@gmail.com

1^st February 2008

CHIANG MAI - Than Shwe is the supreme leader of the Burmese military regime who has been carrying out human rights abuses on the peoples of Burma for over two decades.

2^nd February is Than Shwe’s birthday. Last birthday, February 2006, Than Shwe was awarded third place in the “World’s 10 Worst Dictators” list. This year Burma supporters around the world are gathering to make sure Than Shwe has an Unhappy Bad Day, rather than a Happy Birthday.

Every year, Than Shwe marks his birthday by giving alms to some monks. This year he may not find any monks who are willing to come for this farcical birthday ceremony. He believes that, even he has been a bad boy all his life, he can cheat fate by making merit and using “Yadayachay”. Yadayachay involves holding ceremonies that supposedly trick the gods into believing something has already come to pass. For example a fake funeral will be held to ward off death. The Generals of Burma try to use Yadayachay to avoid the consequences of their sins but the extent of their wrongdoings has eclipsed all the powers of any Yadayachay ceremony. Time has run out for Than Shwe.

A well respected fortune teller has foreseen that within 2008, “Than Shwe will face a threat to his wealth and personal security from a trusted person or a group.” Where will the betrayal of Than Shwe begin? A reliable military source says that Light Infantry Division 66 (LTD 66) is his most trusted Division.

“Although we know an end of Than Shwe’s power is so very close we still would like to mark this day. After all he deserves to have many bad-day wishes. For 50 million people in Burma, every day is a bad day because of the atrocities of successive military regimes. He has the power to change his fate, not just try and avoid it. We want him held responsible.” said Cynthia Hill, a member of Lanna Action for Burma.

Today, thousands of Burma supporters all over the world are holding events for Than Shwe and sending him unhappy bad-day wishes. A special unhappy bad-day song will be sung for him and there will also be an array of rituals all aimed at further weakening Than Shwe and promoting freedom for Burma. At a bad-day event for Than Shwe in Chiang Mai, Thailand people sang “Unhappy Bad Day” around a cake in the shape of a pair of panties that bore Than Shwe’s face. Sections of the cake were then fed to the dogs, while other pieces were taken home for use in further rituals.