Myanmar citizens in Malaysia protest crackdown by military government
By Channel NewsAsia's Malaysia Correspondent Melissa Goh | Posted: 28 September 2007 1927 hrs

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	Special Report • Myanmar in Turmoil

KUALA LUMPUR : Myanmar citizens in Malaysia took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur on Friday to protest the bloody crackdown by their military government.

Many are members of Myanmar's National League for Democracy, led by Ms Aung San Suu Kyi who is under arrest in Yangon.

Emotions are running high among Myanmar residents in Malaysia.

Some 2,000 of them gathered outside their embassy in the capital to protest the violence back home.

Carrying posters of peaceful pro-democracy campaigner Aung Sung Suu Kyi, they marched past the Chinese and Russian embassies, hoping their message will get through to Beijing and Moscow, which are allies of Myanmar's military rulers.

They also urged the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to play a more proactive role in helping to resolve the crisis.

Kyaw Kyaw Min, Education Committee, National League for Democracy, says: "We want ASEAN to take action on Myanmar. ASEAN is so weak...they are responsible because Myanmar is one of ASEAN countries. European Union also gives pressures, US also gives pressure, UN security council also...only ASEAN is so weak."

ASEAN observes a principle of non-interference in each other's domestic affairs.

But Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has admitted that all constructive engagements with Myanmar's military rulers have failed.

He is now urging the United Nations Security Council to convene a special emergency session on Myanmar.

It is clear that what is happening in Myanmar is fast becoming a source of embarrassment for the region that just cannot seem to be able to act collectively.

Meanwhile the Malaysian Buddhist community has also voiced their concerns, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Myanmar especially towards the monks.

Loka Ng Sai Kai, Advisor, World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth, says: "Monks are very important in Buddhism. By having physical violence against monks and taking the lives of monks that is very much uncalled for, we need to actually protect the monks because they all our are teachers. It's just like we will protect our parents."

Malaysia's Buddhist Solidarity Group appealed to Myanmar's military rulers to follow the anti-violence teachings of Buddha and to put a quick end to the bloodshed in Yangon. - CNA/ch