Activists fling shoes at Burmese FM in New York

by Mungpi
Tuesday, 29 September 2009 00:07

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Burmese activists in New York on Monday threw shoes at visiting Foreign Minister Nyan Win, an act of opposition against his representation of the Southeast Asian nation at the 64th United Nations General Assembly.

Moe Thee Zun, a former student leader and activist, said he, along with nearly 20 friends, laid in wait of the Burmese Foreign Minister near his guest house and flung shoes and other objects toward the car conveying Nyan Win to United Nations headquarters.

“I took off my shoes and flung them at Nyan Win, the sight of him makes me angry,” said Moe Thee Zun, who as a student leader in 1988 took to the streets in Rangoon, leading mass protests demanding democracy.

“These men should not be representing our people, whom they are brutally killing and suppressing,” he added, satisfied that he and several of his friends flung shoes and other materials at the Burmese FM.

One protester “threw his coffee and there were stains on the car, though it did not get on Nyan Win,” he added.

Both Nyan Win and Prime Minister Thein Sein, who are attending the General Assembly, are lodged in East Gates Hotel on 39th Street in New York, and are the first Burmese generals to attend the annual congregation in14 years.

On Monday, Thein Sein delivered a speech at the General Assembly, prior to which he met with Senator James Webb, a strong advocate of engagement with the military regime, to discuss US-Burma relations.

“We did not realize that Thein Sein was in a separate car. We thought he was along with Nyan Win in the same car, but later we saw him in another car,” said Moe Thee Zun.

He said, the Burmese generals should not be representing the people of Burma, as they are not the legitimate government elected by the people.

Moe Thee Zun said he and his friends are gearing up for another round of surprise attacks on the Burmese delegation when they return to their hotel in the evening.