Zachary Michaelson, a New York-based financial consultant and lecturer, has announced his intention to launch an awareness campaign to further expose the plight of religious and ethnic minority groups in Burma (Myanmar). Using the Internet, media and other forms of communication, Michaelson hopes his efforts will bring much needed attention to the people of the war-torn region of Southeast Asia.
“The Burmese military government is currently intimidating, imprisoning, torturing and murdering anyone who even talks about democracy,” says Zachary Michaelson.
“We must make sure those standing for democracy and human rights in Burma are defended,” Michaelson adds.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Zachary Michaelson has championed human rights around the globe and is currently a coordinator for the Manhattan chapter of Amnesty International.
In December, Michaelson helped coordinate and promote a film screening of ‘In the Shadow of the Pagodas: The Other Side of Burma.’ The event also featured a distinguished panel of former Burmese political prisoners who were incarcerated for campaigning against the military dictatorship.
In addition to his efforts on Burma, Zachary Michaelson has also tutored Sudanese refugees and performed orphanage work for citizens of Africa and Central America.
In the coming months, Michaelson will be highlighting the atrocities of the Burmese government through his Internet public awareness campaign.
“Education and awareness are the first steps to implementing change and I will be doing all I can to help,” he says. “People of conscience cannot witness evil quietly.”
For more information, visit the NYU home page of Zachary Michaelson at http://homepages.nyu.edu/~
