Providing a peephole into Burma

As the government of Myanmar, formerly called Burma, scrambles to shield its actions from the world’s eyes, Lehigh’s own Burmese students will provide a peephole into the closed country this Thursday, Oct. 11.

The Burma talk, sponsored by ArtsLehigh and the Global Union, will be held at 7 p.m. in Sinclair Auditorium and is free and open to the public.

“These students have been courageous to offer this very personal perspective on what is a very dangerous, yet valiant, struggle for democracy in their country,” says Bill Hunter, director of the Global Union.

The three Burmese students will show a brief documentary depicting the current instability in Burma and then recount their own and their families’ stories from the southeast Asian country. Afterwards, attendees are welcome to discuss the current crisis in an extended question-and-answer session.

Recent anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks resulted in a brutal crackdown from the military-controlled government. The junta has since shut down all Internet connections and ended contact with the outside world, but before doing so, witnesses and news agencies reported killings and arrests of peaceful protesters.

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--Becky Straw