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Activists send female underwear to Burmese embassies

Martin Hodgson
Friday October 19, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

Activists exasperated at the failure of diplomacy to apply pressure on Burma’s military regime are resorting to a new means of protest against the regime’s recent crackdown: sending female underwear to Burmese embassies.

Embassies in the UK, Thailand, Australia and Singapore have all been targeted by the “Panties for Peace” campaign, co-ordinated by an activist group based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The manoeuvre is a calculated insult to the junta and its leader, General Than Shwe. Superstitious junta members believe that any contact with female undergarments - clean or dirty - will sap them of their power, said Jackie Pollack, a member of the Lanna Action for Burma Committee.

“Not only are they brutal, but they are also very superstitious. They believe that touching a woman’s pants or sarong will make them lose their strength,” Ms Pollack told Guardian Unlimited.

So far, hundreds of pairs of pants have been posted, according to another campaigner, Liz Hilton. “One group sent 140 pairs to the Burmese embassy in Geneva,” she said.

The campaign was a serious attempt to allow ordinary women to express their outrage at the regime’s response to democracy demonstrations led by Buddhist monks, Ms Pollack said.

“Condemnation by the United Nations and governments around the world have had no impact on the Burmese regime. This is a way of trying to reach them where they will feel it,” she said.

“The junta is famous for its abuse of women: it is well documented that they use rape as a weapon of war against ethnic minorities. This is a way for women around the world to express their outrage.”

The Burmese government has claimed that 10 people were killed and nearly 2,100 arrested, but dissident groups estimate that dozens or even hundreds died during the recent crackdown and its aftermath.

A message on the activists’ website reads: “This is your chance to use your Panty Power to take away the power from the SPDC. You can post, deliver or fling your panties at the closest Burmese Embassy any day from today. Send early, send often.”

An official at the Burmese Embassy in London was unable to confirm if any garments had yet been delivered.

OK, girls, ante up! Send these guys your panties! This is one of the more creative protests I’ve heard of. Here are some embassy addresses:

“Not only are they brutal, but they are also very superstitious. They believe that touching a woman’s pants or sarong will make them lose their strength,” Ms Pollack told Guardian Unlimited.

So far, hundreds of pairs of pants have been posted, according to another campaigner, Liz Hilton. “One group sent 140 pairs to the Burmese embassy in Geneva,” she said.

The campaign was a serious attempt to allow ordinary women to express their outrage at the regime’s response to democracy demonstrations led by Buddhist monks, Ms Pollack said.

“Condemnation by the United Nations and governments around the world have had no impact on the Burmese regime. This is a way of trying to reach them where they will feel it,” she said.

“The junta is famous for its abuse of women: it is well documented that they use rape as a weapon of war against ethnic minorities. This is a way for women around the world to express their outrage.”

The Burmese government has claimed that 10 people were killed and nearly 2,100 arrested, but dissident groups estimate that dozens or even hundreds died during the recent crackdown and its aftermath.

A message on the activists’ website reads: “This is your chance to use your Panty Power to take away the power from the SPDC. You can post, deliver or fling your panties at the closest Burmese Embassy any day from today. Send early, send often.”

An official at the Burmese Embassy in London was unable to confirm if any garments had yet been delivered.

“Not only are they brutal, but they are also very superstitious. They believe that touching a woman’s pants or sarong will make them lose their strength,” Ms Pollack told Guardian Unlimited.

So far, hundreds of pairs of pants have been posted, according to another campaigner, Liz Hilton. “One group sent 140 pairs to the Burmese embassy in Geneva,” she said.

The campaign was a serious attempt to allow ordinary women to express their outrage at the regime’s response to democracy demonstrations led by Buddhist monks, Ms Pollack said.

“Condemnation by the United Nations and governments around the world have had no impact on the Burmese regime. This is a way of trying to reach them where they will feel it,” she said.

“The junta is famous for its abuse of women: it is well documented that they use rape as a weapon of war against ethnic minorities. This is a way for women around the world to express their outrage.”

The Burmese government has claimed that 10 people were killed and nearly 2,100 arrested, but dissident groups estimate that dozens or even hundreds died during the recent crackdown and its aftermath.

A message on the activists’ website reads: “This is your chance to use your Panty Power to take away the power from the SPDC. You can post, deliver or fling your panties at the closest Burmese Embassy any day from today. Send early, send often.”

An official at the Burmese Embassy in London was unable to confirm if any garments had yet been delivered.

OK, ladies, ante up! Send these guys your panties NOW! It’s the least you can do for our brothers and especially our sisters in Burma. Here are some addresses:

United States of America:
Embassy of Union of Myanmar
2300 S Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20008

Permanent Mission of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations:
10 East 77th St.
New York, NY 10021

United Kingdom:
Embassy of Union of Myanmar 19 A Charles Street,
London W1J 5DX
UK

Canada:
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
Sandringham Building,
85 Range Road, Suite 902-903
Ottawa, Ontario Kin 8J6
Canada

Someone have the addresses for the embassies in Australia and New Zealand?