1WORLDINTERNATIONAL GLOBAL PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK

It was reported in the past week that the Burmese monk, Ashin Gambira had been arrested by the authorities following reports of an interview where he was alleged to have stated that the Burmese government still had the “characteristics of a dictatorship”. Gambira has past form having been arrested in 2007 following an uprising against the national government.

The President Thein Sein-led government threatens to undo its attempts at repairing its reputation which has included sanctioning the release of scores of political prisoners by this latest re-arrest of a recently freed political prisoner. Ashin Gambira is this week’s 1worldinternational Global Personality of the Week for his relentless campaign for human rights in Burma.

GLOBAL PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK

Chinese dissident, Zhu Yufu is this week’s 1worldinternational Global Personality of the Week. Mr Yufu, is at present facing trial in the country’s eastern city of Hangzhou for composing a poem sent via Skype which allegedly references Tiananmen Square. Observers recall that the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 is one of the country’s darkest moments hence the government’s hard line stance in its approach to this matter.

The poem titled “Its time” has resulted in Yufu being charged with the crime of “inciting subversion of state power”. A few lines of the poem read: “With your own two feet/ Its time to head to the Square and make your own choice/ Its time people of China/ Its time”. Yufu’s previous term in jail does not appear to have altered his course and we hope his actions continue to inspire dissidents and human rights activists alike in their fight for justice.