[wordup] Panties for peace!

[Adam Shand]

Via: Brett Shand <brett at earthlight.co...>

A VERY PERSONAL PROTEST

Monday, November 5, 2007
Posted by Jim Hightower

Over the years, I've come across some very clever protest actions,
but here's one that just beats the pants off all the others. It's
an international women's protest against the brutal military
dictatorship in Burma, and it's called "Panties for Peace." I kid
you not. But while it's playful, it definitely is not to be laughed
at. Launched by the Lanna Action for Burma Committee, based in
Thailand, this creative group learned that the thuggish military
men oppressing the people of Burma are not only brutal, but also
very, very superstitous. It turns out that one of their phobic
beliefs is that they must never, ever come into contact with female
undies, because even to touch a pair of knickers would sap them of
their strength. Thus, the Action for Burma group has invited women
everywhere to ship their undergarments to Burmese embassies
throughout the world as a calculated cultural insult to the ruling
junta of General Than Shwe, who is said to be especially
superstitous. One group of women sent 140 pairs of their dainties
to Burma's embassy in Geneva, and Burmese embassies in England,
Australia, Singapore, and several European countries are also under
underwear siege.

Liz Hilton, one of the Action for Burma activists, notes that the
junta is famous for its abuse of women, including using rape as a
weapon of war, so this protest action "is a way for women around
the world to express their outrage." She adds that she and others
are exasperated by the failure of world leaders to do anything
effective about the regime's repression, so delivering scads of
scivvies allows ordinary women to send a personal and culturally-
powerful message of rejection to the junta.

In case you want to send your own panty message, the address of
Burma's U.S. embassy is 2300 S Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008.

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