Cox's bazar: The Long March ended for Burmese activists yesterday at the border town of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, after 13 days of walking from Dhaka.The Long March was started by a group of Arakanese pro-democracy activists, including six months and eight laypeople, who departed from a monument at Dhaka University on 27 March, 2008, a revolution day in Burma.
U Thilawantha, who is leading the group, said, "We conducted the Long March with the intent to attract the attention of the Bangladeshi people, as well as the international community to the upcoming referendum for the new draft constitution, which is scheduled to be held in Burma in May 2008."
He added that, "We on the march oppose the upcoming referendum as the Burmese military government excluded democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in any future elections, and the draft constitution does not grant equal rights to the non-Burman ethnic minorities."
Many Arakanese communities in exile welcomed the Long March activists from the roadside when they arrived in Cox's Bazar yesterday morning.
Moreover, the monk alliance Sasana Moli held a welcome ceremony for the activists at the headquarters that were opened in a monastery in Cox's Bazar for the activists. During the ceremony, representatives of the monk alliance gave certificates of honor to the marchers.
Another activist, Ko Tha Tun, said, "My legs are suffering from many injuries and my body is also in pain, but I am proud because our Long March is in victory. It is also a historic record for our democracy movement, showing how Arakanese people participate in the democracy movement."
The Long March activists were very happy when they arrived at their final destination and all deemed the march a success.
U Thilawantha concluded, "Our Long March was successful because we got the attention of the Bangladesh people. Otherwise, we revealed our desire to the Burmese people about the upcoming referendum by marching from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar. All Burmese broadcasting services abroad aired updates of our march often and Burmese people got the chance to know why Burmese in exile in Bangladesh oppose the referendum."
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