|PIC1|Christians have been invited to join an exiled community from Burma that is holding a permanent 24-hour vigil in London's Parliament Square, to express solidarity with the plight of the Burmese people.

Every week from 6pm to 9pm Christians have been asked to join the group, which has also called on Muslims, Buddhists, trade unionists and other communities to come on other evenings of the week.

UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has joined the call and has asked Christians from all denominations to join the Burmese exiled community every Monday evening till December.

CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas has said: "It is a great privilege to have been invited by the Burmese community to stand in solidarity with them.

"We are grateful that they have set aside a designated evening every week for Christians to join them."

He added: "We call on church leaders, pastors, whole congregations and individuals to take up this request and to join the Burmese community in London from 6-9pm every Monday evening until December, opposite the Houses of Parliament."

This initiative is the latest in a series of protests and prayer days which CSW has supported in response to the crisis in Burma.

On 6 October thousands of people marched in London in the biggest ever demonstration for Burma held in the UK.