Group Urges Aussies To Flood Burma Embassy With Panties

Canberra, Australia (AHN) - A pro-democracy group based in Thailand has urged Australians to join a campaign it dubbed as "Panty Power" and flood Myanmar's embassy in Canberra with undergarments.

The Lanna Action for Burma, a group based in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, said in a statement, "The Burma military regime is not only brutal but very superstitious. They believe that contact with a woman's panties or sarong can rob them of their power."

Tomoko, an activist with Lanna Action for Burma, said she had heard that Myanmar's embassies in the United States and Thailand have been targeted by the campaign that started last week. She said Myanmar's embassy in Canberra is also a target of the Panty Power campaign.

Tomoko, who only goes by one name, said, "We want to raise awareness first, and we want to target the Burmese government officials, letting them know we are against them abusing their power."

She added, "We are sending [the generals] panties as a symbol of putting their power down."

The miltary junta in Myanmar is receiving international pressure after it launched a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. Several countries such as the United States, Japan and Australia have imposed economic sanctions againt members of the junta.

Last week, women have begun sending their underwear to embassies of Myanmar worldwide.

The Lanna Action for Burma said the members of the junta are superstitious, especially leader General Than Shwe, who believes that contact with women's underwear saps them of power.