Today is the 23rd anniversary of the 8888 (as in August 8, 1988) student protests in Burma. Students and citizens of all walks of life (monks, lawyers, farmers, etc.) desiring democracy successfully toppled three consecutive dictatorships in 31 days. Protests continued every single day all over the country on into September. On September 18, 1988 General Saw Maung retook control of the country, leading to the deaths of an estimated 1,500 students, monks, and schoolchildren in the first week of power. Five hundred of those were slaughtered in front of the US Embassy, as protesters appealed to the US and UN to take a stand. In all, it is estimated that 10,000 individuals died during the protests and unrest.
Today I honor the dreams of the protesters of 8888. I hope for the day when Burmese citizens will see the dreams of 8888 fulfilled. I pray for the citizens of all democracy movements, such as we see with this year's Arab Spring, to see success more immediately than Burmese citizens have yet felt. Most of all, I hold onto hope, for I truly believe "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice" (MLK).
Remember 8888.
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