Via ANCAPS: Celebrities turn the spotlight on Burma

The latest cause de jour for campaigning celebrities is a bid to focus attention on Burma's human rights record and its detention of Aung San Suu Kyi who leads the pro-democracy opposition.

Jennifer Aniston, Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson and Sylvester Stallone are among the famous names so far recruited for awareness-raising videos highlighting the crimes of Burma's military-run government and the plight of its people.

The stars have been appearing in short spots that alternate between earnest briefings and comedy to communicate information about the South-East Asian country.

In one, Mr Harrelson plays an angry actor who refuses to leave his trailer until "Burma is free". Miss Aniston, attempting to hurry him along, responds: "That's so do-able," instructing an assistant to "just make that happen. Go free Burma."

In another of the videos, Ellen Page, star of Juno, draws a Hitler moustache on a portrait of Burma's military junta leader Than Shwe, declaring "he is a professional dictator".

Ferrell concludes his spot with the words: "Every now and again, a single person or event captures the imagination and inspiration of the world. This moment belongs to Burma, and to Aung San Suu Kyi. Please honour her courage, honour your compassion and let this month be the month you join an effort to change the world."

The Human Rights Action Centre and the US Campaign for Burma, which organised the campaign, plan to release a video a day for 30 days. Other stars lined up to appear include Sarah Silverman, Anjelica Huston and Judd Apatow as well as Eva Longoria, Forest Whitaker and Steven Seagal.

The videos appear on websites including Burma: It Can't Wait and the social shopping site Fanista as well as YouTube and MySpace.

The campaign faces the challenge of explaining Burma's complex situation to Americans already inundated with a barrage of appeals from charities and activist groups. One video, narrated by the actress Julie Benz, informs viewers that Burma is the size of Texas and invites them to imagine the Lone Star State being run by "a military dictatorship".

The month-long campaign will overlap with the May 27 date when the military will announce whether to release Suu Kyi or extend her detention another year. Few expect the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who has been under house arrest or in prison for more than 12 of the last 18 years, to be released.

The campaign began two days before an estimated 10,000 people died when a cyclone struck Burma on Saturday. The United Nations and relief agencies are rushing to send emergency aid to the region.

LNK

Via ANCAPS: Celebrities turn the spotlight on Burma

Via ANCAPS: Celebrities turn the spotlight on Burma

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