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Rambo IV sneak premiere at rampART burma night, TONIGHT

part1 | 21.02.2008 17:56 | Anti-militarism | Repression | Social Struggles | London | World

Tonight (21st Feb, 8pm) at rampART there is a sneak premiere of the new Rambo film along with short films about the situation in Burma (now called Myanmar) and campaigns to force Total Oil to end it's economic support of the military junta.

Films start 8pm at 15-17 rampart street.

Twenty years after the last film in the series, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) has retreated to northern Thailand, where he's running a longboat on the Salween River. On the nearby Thai-Burma (Myanmar) border, the world's longest-running civil war, the Burmese-Karen conflict, rages into its 60th year. But Rambo, who lives a solitary, simple life in the mountains and jungles fishing and catching poisonous snakes to sell, has long given up fighting, even as medics, mercenaries, rebels and peace workers pass by on their way to the war-torn region.

That all changes when a group of human rights missionaries search out the "American river guide" John Rambo. When Sarah (Julie Benz) and Michael Bennett (Paul Schulze) approach him, they explain that since last year's trek to the refugee camps, the Burmese military has laid landmines along the road, making it too dangerous for overland travel. They ask Rambo to guide them up the Salween and drop them off, so they can deliver medical supplies and food to the Karen tribe. After initially refusing to cross into Burma, Rambo takes them, dropping off Sarah, Michael and the aid workers...

Films start 8pm with short films about the situation in Burma and campaigns to force Total Oil to end it's economic support of the military junta.

> Activists targeted in Myanmar 'witch hunt' (18 October 2007)

Video and audio testimony of ongoing night raids, arbitrary arrests and appalling detention conditions in Myanmar as well as audio statements from two prominent activists shortly before their arrest last weekend.

> Marching for Myanmar (8 October 2007)

People across the globe took to the streets in support of the people of Myanmar, who continue to be subjected to mass arrests and brutal repression.

> 18 years in prison in Myanmar (24 October 2007)

U Win Tin, 77, has already spent the past 18 years in jail on account of his peaceful opposition to the Myanmar military authorities and his acts in defence of human rights and freedom of expression. He is Myanmar's longest serving prisoner of conscience.

A journalist, former editor and senior opposition party official, U Win Tin was arrested in July 1989 in a crackdown on political party members. He is believed to have been arrested because of his senior position with the National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition party in Myanmar, which won 82% of seats in general elections in 1990, but to whom the military authorities did not hand over power.

Films start 8pm. The venue is 15-17 Rampart Street, London E1 2LA


The overall situation in Burma has deteriorated significantly since the protests three months ago, with 80% of the leadership of the monk and student networks that led them caught and jailed, reports the international public opinion campaigning organisation, Avaaz. The remaining 20% are on the run, hiding in safe houses and constantly at risk. A circular email from Avaaz says. “The Burmese generals have used torture extensively to work their way through these networks. They have also immediately and viciously cracked down on any street protests."

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