What you can do to help the Burmese

For anyone who isn’t a UN envoy, leading Beijing politician or Olympic athlete, here are a few ways to help put pressure on the Burmese military junta...

PROTEST
'A day of international action for a free Burma' will be marked on Saturday, October 6 at noon in cities around the world. From Copenhagen to Kuala Lumpur, people will be marching to show solidarity with the Burmese and campaign for freedom and democracy.

The London demonstration is expected to be a big one. Join monks from 11am at Tate Britain as they cross Westminster Bridge towards Downing Street and reach Trafalgar Square. The organisers are asking participants to wear a red headscarf. Similar events are taking place in Millennium Square, Leeds, and West Quay, Southampton. In Edinburgh, there's the 5km Run for Relief in Burma event, which starts at the Meadows, again at noon.

PESTER THE EMBASSY
Why not discuss the intricacies of authoritarianism with its representatives in the UK? The ambassador is a quiet, religious Hampstead resident called U Nay Win. Phone the Burmese Embassy on 0207 499 4340, the Ambassador's office is 0207 409 7035, the political, trade, press and cultural affairs section on 0207 493 7397, the cultural section on 0207 493 5229 or the consular section on 0207 499 8841. If you would like to pay them a visit, the embassy is at 19A Charles Street, near Green Park tube.

TARGET CHINA
They have economic interests in Burma and have yet to adequately condemn the atrocities of the regime they sponsor. Telephone the Chinese Embassy, 0207 299 4049, and tell them at length about how you feel about this.

SIGN A PETITION
There are plenty. Choose between avaaz.com, petitions.pm.gov.uk, actionburma.com, and democracyinaction.org, among others.

SUPPORT A PRESSURE GROUP

The Democratic Voice of Burma is a non-profit media organisation based in Oslo that campaigns for human rights and democracy. Burma Campaign, does much the same, and has successfully convinced British American Tobacco and WPP to take their business away from the country. Amnesty International has global clout and is focusing on Burma. These, and many other organisations, need money.

STAY INFORMED
Ko Htike, a Burmese living in London, compiles reports from his contacts in the country to ensure that, with the ban on foreign journalists and the internet locked down, as much information as possible is able to reach the rest of the world. Also, for one night only this Friday, Richard Shannon's The Lady of Burma, a one woman play about pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, will be performed at London's Soho theatre.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY
The junta has an English language organ, The New Light of Myanmar, where you can read their lies and some reports about the 19th golf tournament for disabled (sic). See if you can hack into it.

FIRST POSTED OCTOBER 5, 2007