Nancy Kline
June 4, 2009 - 7:19PM
PUTNAM COUNTY - Myanmar refugee Min Oo became a soldier by choice when he was 12 years old.
He said he became a freedom fighter to protest the military regime in his country.
"They are burning our villages, raping the ladies and forcing children into the military. We need coordinated actions from the international community," he said. "I chose on my own to become a soldier."
Now he, along with four other Myanmar refugees, is making a peace walk from Fort Wayne, Ind., to New York City. Part of their walk took them through Putnam County as they walked down U.S. Route 224 carrying signs.
The five-member group is in solidarity with the Long March and Hunger Strike campaign that is urging the U.N. Security Council to take action for the freedom of Myanmar and for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and 2000 U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom award winner who is now in jail.
"We used our own money to come over and do this walk," Min Oo said. He said they would present a petition to the U.N. Security Council upon their arrival in New York City. "We are campaigning for the freedom of Burma [the former name of Myanmar] and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi."
Min Oo said they sometimes stay in hotels and other times camp out on their journey. They left Fort Wayne, Ind., on May 27 when Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest was supposed to have ended. They plan to arrive in New York City by Sept. 9 and make their presentation on Sept. 27.
"Our country has been under military control for two decades. We feel this peace march is very important. Dire situations call for dire actions from the international community," Min Oo said.
Source: http://www.limaohio.com/news/myanmar-38058-peace-york.html
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