Into the Current: Burma's Political prisoners and Burma Human Rights Day

Burmese leader Nyunt Than, Ko Bo Kyi and Director Jeanne Marie Hallacy

The film Into the Current: Burma's Political prisoners has been making the festival rounds and has recently gone on tour within the US. The film covers the stories of Burmese political prisoners and the constant political upheaval in the country, a country that currently has the longest running civil war in the world.

cultural dancers

Ko Bo Kyi, a Burmese activist, former political prisoner and founder of the first non profit to help Burmese political prisoners and their families, figures prominently in the film. He in fact was a big part of the film, which showed the plight of prisoners and ethnic peoples who faced severe persecution from the Burmese military government.

Many of the refugees from Burma have lived the fear, uncertainty and oppression shown in the film. On March 10, the Burmese American Democratic Association, along with members of the Burmese community held a film screening of Into The Current for their Burma Human Rights Day.  The local Burmese community came out to commemorate human rights in Burma. The day featured speakers, including Ko Bo Kyi, Director Jeanne Hallacy and local Burmese leaders.

CHAA staff New Oo and Sean Kirkpatrick join the event along with community members

Though the situation in Burma is slowly moving forward with visits with the government by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and the recent releases of political prisoners, including some featured in the movie.

There are still over 800 political prisoners in Burmese prisons, and continuos civil wars in different states in Burma. Efforts put forth by films such as Into the Current are helping to push the envelope forward to hope for a free Burma. 

To find out more about the film, go to http://www.intothecurrent.org/

Photos by Ko Ko Ly