Human rights activist and former political prisoner Bo Kyi spoke to about 200 people last Tuesday night about his personal contributions to the campaign for democracy in Burma.
Without democracy we cannot speak out, Kyi said. If you practice basic human rights you are in prison.
"It is important that he have a forum to educate Americans about the situation because many are unfamiliar about what's going on in Burma," said Jacqui Pilch, the president of the Student Campaign for Burma.
The Student Campaign for Burma hosted the event.
"AU has a huge history of helping Burma," said Jenna Briggs, a senior in the School of International Service. "I hope after Kyi's speech more people will join the club and get involved."
Kyi is currently in exile living on the Thailand side of the Thailand-Burma border. If he is deported back to Burma, Kyi will be imprisoned for 40 to 60 years, he said. Despite the danger of living at the boarder where political corruption is worse than the rest of Burma, Kyi said it is necessary he live there to make political change.
"We are not in legal power to do something," Kyi said. "We have to take risks, otherwise we cannot do anything."
Kyi established the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) in Burma in 1999 after fleeing to the Thailand side of the Burma-Thailand boarder.
All members of the AAPP are former political prisoners, he said.
"The membership fee is your life-your commitment to democracy," Kyi said. "No money."
The AAPP monitors political prisons and political action, gives assistance to political prisoners and collects information along the boarder where they have an office. The office has a museum, issues statements and reports.
"Many people don't know people were tortured," Kyi said. "Many people don't know about the darkness in Burma."
Kyi was arrested the first time for being a leader in student-organized nation-wide peaceful protests to establish democracy in Burma. At the protest, soldiers shot at students. Hospitals were afraid to treat the students because of political repercussions, Kyi said.
"Students and soldiers are not enemies," Kyi said. "We want our country to progress."
According to Kyi, students never give up on believing for bringing democracy and human rights to Burma.
"Everyone can be a judge-no law school, no training," Kyi said. "If you support the military you can be a judge."
Kyi was arrested and serviced two prison sentences for a total of seven years where he was tortured and was in total isolation for some time.
"I look back to my past in 1988 and feel really sorry for those students who stay in prison," Kyi said.
Kyi learned to speak English and other languages from the professor in the cell next to his, Kyi said. Kyi said he would memorize what was written on the pages and then eat them.
An article by Nelson Mandela encouraged Kyi to continue his fight for human rights, he said.
Political prisoners are beaten to death, Kyi said. The police stations will also not take cases of political corruption, he said.
"No one has the right to torture. No one had the right to beat anyone," Kyi said. "We should speak out."
Kyi said the people are asking for international pressure for the military to sit with the Democratic Party to try to find a solution.
"The military is trying to block people to be educated, trying to block people to have communication with the outside," Kyi said.
Chris Duni, a freshman in the Kogod School of Business traveled to Thailand in January where he heard Kyi speak for the first time, which motivated him to become involved in hte issue.
"I'm so thrilled everyone here tonight got to hear the same story I heard when I was in Thailand," Duni said.
AU continues to be active in the Burma campaign for democracy.
"AU has a long standing history of being at the fore front of Burmese activities and we're happy that we could continue in that traditional tonight," Pilch said.
