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Walter Koenig is working to bring world
attention to the Burmese political crisis--and
to the thousands of refugees
suffering because of it.
The current military dictatorship has imprisoned Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected president of Burma
and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, for fourteen years. They
have destroyed over 3000 villages and forced a million
people to flee the country. Burma has been placed on the
permanent UN Security Council's "Threat to Peace" list and
have called for an end to the attacks on civilians and the
military regime.
At the invitation of the humanitarian group U.S. Campaign
for Burma, Walter toured refugee camps along the
Burma-Thailand border in July 2007. He will be helping in
their grassroots campaign to get the message out about the
human rights violations, and the long running struggle and
suffering of the Burmese people: including the permanent
residents of the refugee camps in Thailand.
attention to the Burmese political crisis--and
to the thousands of refugees
suffering because of it.
The current military dictatorship has imprisoned Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected president of Burma
and a Nobel Peace Prize winner, for fourteen years. They
have destroyed over 3000 villages and forced a million
people to flee the country. Burma has been placed on the
permanent UN Security Council's "Threat to Peace" list and
have called for an end to the attacks on civilians and the
military regime.
At the invitation of the humanitarian group U.S. Campaign
for Burma, Walter toured refugee camps along the
Burma-Thailand border in July 2007. He will be helping in
their grassroots campaign to get the message out about the
human rights violations, and the long running struggle and
suffering of the Burmese people: including the permanent
residents of the refugee camps in Thailand.
| Aung San Suu Kyi Photograph by Leslie Keen / Burma Project USA |
| AP - Mon Jul 23, 8:51 AM ET In this photo released by the United States Campaign for Burma, Star Trek's Walter Koenig, left, who played Pavel Chekov in the popular TV series from the 1960s and movies the past 28 years, talks with a Karen woman refugee as he visits a refugees camp Saturday, July. 21, 2007, near the Thai-Myanmar border. Koenig visited a medical clinic and refugees during a three-day visit to Mae Sot, 380 kilometers (240 miles) northeast of Bangkok. He said he wanted to bring attention to their plight. (AP Photo/United States Campaign for Burma) |
| AP - Mon Jul 23, 8:49 AM ET In this photo released by the United States Campaign for Burma, Star Trek's Walter Koenig, right, who played Pavel Chekov in the popular TV series from the 1960s and movies the past 28 years, visits refugees Saturday, July. 21, 2007, near the Thai-Myanmar border. Koenig visited a medical clinic and refugees during a three-day visit to Mae Sot, 380 kilometers (240 miles) northeast of Bangkok. He said he wanted to bring attention to their plight. (AP Photo/United States Campaign for Burma, HO)(Photo courtesy: AP Photo/United States Campaign for Burma |
| Other Articles about Walter's Trip to Burma “Star Trek star looks to beam up support for Myanmar refugees in Thailand” by Julie Payne, Associated Press Writer © AP “Star Trek star ‘shocked’ by plight of Myanmar refugess in Thailand" by Julie Payne, Associated Press Writer © AP “Don’t Klingon to power, Star Trek star tells Burma junta" Darren Schuettler, Bangkok, Thailand “Trek Actor calls on fans to campaign against atrocities" “Star Trek ‘s ‘Chekov’ beams in on Karens’ plight” “Star Trek actor visits Burma refugees” “Hollywood Actor Visits Karen Refugee Clinic in Mae Sot” by Aye Lae Walter Koenig Visits Christian Freedom International's Freedom House and Vocational School Breaking Christian News Star Trek fans enlisted in fight against Burma rights abuses DARREN SCHUETTLER IN BANGKOK “Starship Enterprise V Burmese military junta” ‘SS Enterprise against the Burmese military junta” from Andrew Drummond, of the Times www.andrew-drummond.com |
One of the original cast members of the Star Trek TV series says he was "shocked" at the plight of
hundreds of thousands of refugees from military-ruled Myanmar living in camps in western Thailand.
Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov, the cheeky Russian ensign aboard the Starship Enterprise,
visited Thailand's western border region over the weekend to meet refugees who fled Myanmar's
oppressive military regime, he said Monday.
Koenig visited a medical clinic that treats refugees in an effort to garner world attention for the ongoing
humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, also known as Burma, he said.
"I was shocked at how little I knew," Koenig, 70, said, referring to the hundreds of thousands of refugees
living along the border in Thailand. "The time was right in my life to be a part of something that is
worthwhile. It's one thing to espouse a liberal and political attitude _ and quite another to act on it."
The United States Campaign for Burma, an activist group based in Washington, D.C., organized the trip
to northwest Thailand where he met civilians suffering from battle injuries and disease.
Star Trek fans share a value system that will help connect them to the refugees and shine a spotlight on
their plight, Koenig said.
"In the original series, we were an international, interethnic, interracial community," Koenig said. "People
have responded to that for 40 years and I think there's a sense of benevolence and humanity in the fans.
Their nerdiness not withstanding makes them good company to get the word out."
He is recruiting celebrity friends to join the effort, potentially including his fellow Star Trek cast member,
George Takei _ known as Mr. Sulu in the series.
Some 3,000 ethnic Karen villages in Myanmar's eastern region have been destroyed by the country's
military, said Jeremy Woodrum, USCB's campaigns director.
"People don't know twice as many villages have been destroyed in Eastern Burma than in Darfur,"
Woodrum said. "It's totally lost on the United States and the world."
Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962, the latest junta emerging after a brutal 1988
crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The military has been widely accused of atrocities against ethnic
minorities and of suppressing the democracy movement led by detained Nobel Peace prize winner
Aung San Suu Kyi.
Koenig's son, Andrew, 38, filmed his week-long trip. Footage, as well as Koenig's personal written
accounts during his trip, will be available on his Web site.
hundreds of thousands of refugees from military-ruled Myanmar living in camps in western Thailand.
Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov, the cheeky Russian ensign aboard the Starship Enterprise,
visited Thailand's western border region over the weekend to meet refugees who fled Myanmar's
oppressive military regime, he said Monday.
Koenig visited a medical clinic that treats refugees in an effort to garner world attention for the ongoing
humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, also known as Burma, he said.
"I was shocked at how little I knew," Koenig, 70, said, referring to the hundreds of thousands of refugees
living along the border in Thailand. "The time was right in my life to be a part of something that is
worthwhile. It's one thing to espouse a liberal and political attitude _ and quite another to act on it."
The United States Campaign for Burma, an activist group based in Washington, D.C., organized the trip
to northwest Thailand where he met civilians suffering from battle injuries and disease.
Star Trek fans share a value system that will help connect them to the refugees and shine a spotlight on
their plight, Koenig said.
"In the original series, we were an international, interethnic, interracial community," Koenig said. "People
have responded to that for 40 years and I think there's a sense of benevolence and humanity in the fans.
Their nerdiness not withstanding makes them good company to get the word out."
He is recruiting celebrity friends to join the effort, potentially including his fellow Star Trek cast member,
George Takei _ known as Mr. Sulu in the series.
Some 3,000 ethnic Karen villages in Myanmar's eastern region have been destroyed by the country's
military, said Jeremy Woodrum, USCB's campaigns director.
"People don't know twice as many villages have been destroyed in Eastern Burma than in Darfur,"
Woodrum said. "It's totally lost on the United States and the world."
Myanmar has been under military rule since 1962, the latest junta emerging after a brutal 1988
crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The military has been widely accused of atrocities against ethnic
minorities and of suppressing the democracy movement led by detained Nobel Peace prize winner
Aung San Suu Kyi.
Koenig's son, Andrew, 38, filmed his week-long trip. Footage, as well as Koenig's personal written
accounts during his trip, will be available on his Web site.
| Star Trek star 'shocked' by plight of Myanmar refugees in Thailand By JULIE PAYNE, Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, July 23 BANGKOK, Thailand - |
| Now Available! |
| Breaking news: Government cracks down on Burmese activists |
