August 24,@2007 We, the members of the People's Forum on Burma (PFB), strongly protest against the recent repressive crackdown of the student leaders and citizens by the government of Burma and urge them to immediately release those held in detention. The military government (SPDC) announced on August 15, 2007 the large increase in the price of fuel and daily commodities. On August 17, at night, the former student activists of the 88 Generation Students' Group issued a statement seeking not to impose further social and economic sufferings on people.Since the next day the 88 Generation Students' Group and hundreds of citizens took to the street to protest. SPDC arrested and detained those who protested, including Min Ko Naing, and continue to do so since August 21 up till now. What has happened is the surfacing of people's hardships resulted from SPDC's policy. The military junta has responded to people's action with crackdown, and has proved that their harsh, inward-looking attitude has little sign of change. We strongly urge SPDC to listen to the voices of people and improve the situation with dialogue. We are deeply concerned with the present situation in Burma and strongly urge the Japanese government to deal with the government of Burma (Myanmar) with a resolute and positive attitude. 1. The Japanese government should express their will to the military government as to what SPDC has imposed to the peaceful protesters and urge early improvement of the situation. 2. We urge the Japanese government to realise that to continue to take an ambiguous attitude towards Burma while the international society tries to deal resolutely with the junta, means to disappoint those people; Burmese people expecting the role of the Japanese government, Japanese people supporting democratization of Burma, and all the Asian people seeking democracy and freedom. We hope that, by taking forward-looking response, the Japanese government will not betray expectations placed upon them as a democratic nation. Hiroshi NAGAI Representative, People's Forum on Burma (JAPAN) Shogo WATANABE General Secretary, People's Forum on Burma (JAPAN) EMBED MSPhotoEd.3 Peoplefs Forum on Burma c/o Izumibashi Law Office, Yotsuya 1chome West Bldg. 1-18-6, Yotsuya, shinjuku-ku, Tokyo JAPAN 160-0004 TEL:+81-3-5312-4817@FAX:+81-3-5312-4543 pfb@xsj.biglobe.ne.jp http://www1.jca.apc.org/pfb/