By MIN LWIN
Burmese living abroad have launched a campaign for the release of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on Facebook, the popular Internet social-networking Web site.
According to the Landon-based Burma Campaign UK, as of Sunday 40,000 people has registered their support on a Facebook site.
“Facebook is an excellent way to reach people and let them know about Aung San Suu Kyi and the situation in Burma,” said Johnny Chatterton, a campaigns officer at Burma Campaign UK. “We are able to use Facebook to translate sympathy into action.”
The Suu Kyi page is being used to promote and coordinate global campaign actions, including a global day of action on Monday, when demonstrations will take place in more than a dozen cities, including London, Bangkok, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Taipei, Barcelona, Paris, Stockholm, Ottawa, Barcelona, Cadiz, Sevilla, and Kuala Lumpur. (see: Aung San Suu Kyi Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aung-San-Suu-Kyi/9953503420?ref=pdb)
Facebook is increasingly popular among Burmese in exile for social networking and the promotion of Burma causes. Several Burmese activists and campaign groups in the West and in the region also use Facebook to promote Burma.
In September 2007 when monks led a pro-democracy uprising in Burma, the campaign on Facebook registered several hundred thousand people.
Observers recently warned that the regime monitors Facebook to trace and identify activists.
Facebook is a free-access social networking Web site; Internet users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school or other venues that connect people with like-minded interests.
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