Sandal display showcases struggles

Adam Asmar

Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: News

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Matthew Stepanek, vice president of the Brookhaven Amnesty Peace & Justice Club, places a sandal in the Burmese display.

Media Credit: Samantha Nickel

Brookhaven students add their own sandal to the project.

Media Credit: Samantha Nickel

Michelle Taylor, treasurer for the BAP&JC contemplates the installation.

Dozens of flip-flops were laid out in the Brookhaven College Commons Courtyard as a form of silent protest Nov. 15 and 19, which was sponsored by the Amnesty Peace and Justice Club.

Each flip-flop represented a specific Burmese who had been killed or jailed in months of protest against the military government that has ruled with absolute control of Burma.

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, in recent months growing amounts of Buddhist monks have taken to the streets in Burma demanding an end to the military rule. The government responded with media blackouts, arrests and violence. Numerous deaths have been reported since protests began in September.

"The reason we put this up was to spread awareness and show solidarity with the Burmese people," Matthew Stepanek, Brookhaven student and vice president of Amnesty, said.

He said the protests taking place have always ended up in bloodshed and mass arrest.

Dr. Patricia Dodd, sponsor of Brookhaven's Amnesty chapter, said: "This is what is supposed to be happening on college campuses. Students should speak out against oppression."

Dodd said she would like to see more of these kinds of actions taking place at Brookhaven.

Available at the protest was a petition to the U.N. asking for greater action and diplomatic pressure against the Burmese government.

Stepanek described the pressure he thought should be put on China because of their ability to directly affect and influence the Burmese government.

Michelle Taylor, Brookhaven student and member of Amnesty, said she is hopeful for an improvement in the political situation, citing democratic elections that were able to take place in the 1990s.

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