Peaceful protesters are forbidden to walk the streets and Buddhist monks are fleeing their monasteries after several were gunned down in the streets of Myanmar last week. This led to a worldwide showing of solidarity including a vigil in downtown Springfield.
"This is all part of an international day of action (for Myanmar)," said Erica West, senior religious studies major. "What's going on is there are peaceful protests and marches at noon worldwide. We would like to do something, even if it's just the two or three of us, because worldwide everyone is doing something."
The protests going on in Myanmar are a way of showing support for the pro-democratic president and Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who was put under house arrest in 1990. The protesters want democracy and to show opposition to the strong militaristic junta, according to the Associated Press.
Erica Hertzog and Sandra Lopez attend the same meditation class and were the sole organizers for the Springfield movement of solidarity on the square last week.
"This is a call for students to action," Hertzog said. "Look for opportunities to make change and take them at every level."
Hertzog led the information booth by handing out literature of the event and asking students and the community to try meditation and sign the petition put forth by the U.S. Campaign for Burma.
After dark, Hertzog lit a lantern and those who were meditating were asked to hold candles.
More than 30 people attempted mediation with Lopez.
Lopez said she practices Theravada tradition meditation and is a Buddhist.
"It is a fairly personal issue to me because we are in a Judeo-Christian society where it's not as loudly heard. I feel like in a way it's my duty, if we don't do it then who is going to," Lopez said.
The solidarity started at 7 p.m. on the square and ended at 10 p.m. with more than 75 signatures on the petition and a turnout of more than 100 people.
Alex Bookbinder, a student at the University of British Columbia, formed a Facebook group called Support the Monks' Protests in Burma. In September the group had more than 300,00 people join. Now there are more than 390,000 members making it easily the largest Facebook support group for Myanmar.
There are more than 50 Facebook groups dedicated to Myanmar.
Hertzog said when the British took over the country, they named it Burma. After being taken over by the junta, the name lasted until 1988 going through several variations of Burma before being changed to Myanmar.
The name change was not recognized by the United States and several other democratic nations. Many of the monks are asking usage of Burma instead to show opposition to the junta. "It is sort of a political statement whether you use Myanmar of Burma," Hertzog said.
"It's amazing," Hertzog said. "Not only is this a non-partisan issue in the United States, but it's a non-partisan issue for the world. The problem is it's really difficult to influence the government of Burma."
According to the Associated Press, all newspapers and media are controlled by the junta. At night the junta takes over airwaves, spouts propaganda and criticizes the Western world for trying to "destabilize" their country.
There are more than 30 countries around the world participating in the solidarity and vigils. "In the U.S. they are having marches and protests in front of Chinese embassies in Houston, D.C. and New York," West said.
According to the AP, China has practiced not interfering with global issues, especially considering Myanmar an internal affair. But now China is quietly speaking with Myanmar authorities.
China is important because it is the biggest economic contributor to the country and also has the most to gain economically by having Myanmar as an ally because of oil and trade, the AP reported last week.
The United Nations recently met with a full agenda of international issues to discuss with Myanmar on the list. Ibrahim Gambari, special adviser on the international compact with Iraq and other issues, is in an important U.N. figure in who is trying to encourage restraint with the junta when it comes to civil rights in Myanmar.
"This is similar to an issue in Tibet with China occupying and oppressing Tibet and it continues to go on to this day," said Daniel Walden, senior geography major. "But the world kind of forgot about it so hopefully the same does not happen to Burma."
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