Taipei, Oct. 6 (CNA) Several Taiwan civic groups held a parade in downtown Taipei City Saturday amid heavy rains and strong winds triggered by Typhoon Krosa to show their support for the democracy movement in Myanmar on the Global Day of Action for Myanmar.
Myanmarese in Taiwan and members of several Taiwan civic, religious and human rights groups gathered to express their support for Myanmar's "Saffron Revolution" and to urge the military junta to stop oppressing demonstrators and the democracy movement.
Participants in the rally called for the international community to keep pressuring the junta and to take necessary diplomatic steps to negotiate with the Myanmar government on the release of Myanmar dissidents. It also urged people to support protests of any form to help Myanmar become a democratic country.
The Taiwan Aung San Suu Kyi Network, the main organizer of the parade, also voiced support for the pro-democracy activist and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner who has been under house arrest for the past decade, said Sun Yo-lien, the network's spokesman.
"We also urge China and Russia, which are among Myanmar's few allies, to stop associating with and assisting the junta. We do not rule out pushing for a boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics if China fails to respond, " Sun said.
About 200 people took part in the parade. Similar parades were held in many countries the same day, including Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, India, United Kingdom and the United States, Sun said.
The civic groups also paid tribute to Kenji Nagai, a Japanese photojournalist who was shot dead by Myanmar soldiers in the anti-government demonstration Sept. 27.
"I'm glad there are many young people among us. Their presence today shows that the younger generation in Taiwan does care about what is happening in other parts of the world, " said Huang Wen-hsiung, a senior protester.