Indiana connected to Myanmar Crisis
I trust you have been following recent events of injustice towards Buddhists in Myanmar. I just learned of something and an event in Indianapolis this week -
"Some day, perhaps soon, a democratic Burma will bear the faint stamp: “Made in Indiana.” Burmese dissidents and constitutional scholars are drafting a new constitution in Bloomington. Ties between the state and crisis-ridden Burma will intensify if things turn badly, too: Indianapolis is the major destination for refugees from Burma, and we will get a lot more if the goons in Rangoon respond as brutally as they have in the past.
When: Thursday October 4, 3:30-5:00 PM
Where: International Center of Indianapolis 32 W. Washington St. Indianapolis
In recent days tens of thousands of Burmese Buddhist monks, students and democratic activists, and ordinary citizens have taken the streets to protest an oppressive government. Why are they risking their lives? Will the Burmese government respond as brutally as it has to previous challenges? How might this crisis be resolved? What should the US government do? And what can we in Indiana do to help? Join Burmese activists and scholars from Indiana University’s Center for Constitutional Democracy in Plural Societies, US foreign policy-shapers, students and refugees from Burma, and concerned Hoosiers to discuss the current situation.
Foks in Indiana may not appreciate just how closely connected our state is with Burma. Burmese are becoming part of the fabric of our daily lives. We are one of the leading destinations for Burmese refugees, mostly Karen and Chin ethnic minorities who have been huddled in refugee camps on the Thai border.
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