Urgent appeal from Desmond Tutu: The Burmese Generals to stop the violence against the Burmese people and to start negotiations for democracy. China to use their leverage and join the winning side!

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in a unique solidarity manifestation for Burma at the Swedish Book Fair in Gothenburg Friday 28 September 2007 at 3pm, urges China to joint the winning side and use their leverage to put pressure on the Burmese generals to stop their violence against the Burmese people and to start negotiations for democracy. Unless China does so, Desmond Tutu announced that he will join the campaign to boycott the upcoming Chinese Olympics to take place in 2008

Archbishop Desmod Tutu said that from the struggle against apartheid a clear lesson was that oppression and injustice will never win. “We knew that apartheid would fall and we want to say to our brothers and sisters in Burma that you have been extraordinary courageous and wonderful. We support your struggle for freedom and justice”.

Desmond Tutu also said that in South Africa we used to say to those who supported apartheid that they should join the winning side, you have already lost, join the winning side! In the same way Tutu called on the brutal Burmese regime to stop their violence against the demonstrators in Burma – “stop it for your own sake”.

Mr Tutu called on the oppressive regime to speak to the right people, to the leaders who were elected, and begin negotiations for democracy.

Desmond Tutu said that China Russia and India have a leverage over the Burmese military regime and especially addressed China. Mr Tutu said he hoped China will use their leverage to tell the brutal regime to stop. If China does not use its leverage Desmond Tutu announced that he will join the international campaign to boycott the Olympic games to be hosted by China in 2008. He said that he wants China to host the Olympics but that Burma must be free.

Desmond Tutu called Aung San Suu Kyi – the democratically elected leader of Burma in the 1990 elections – “the Nelson Mandela of Burma”. Furthermore, that he is waiting to receive her as the Prime Minister of Burma.