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ABBESU STATEMENT ON THE 28TH ASEAN



Subject: ABBESU STATEMENT ON THE 28TH ASEAN MEETING IN BRUNEI 

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                                 ABBESU
                ALL BURMA BASIC EDUCATION STUDENTS' UNION
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         ABBESU Statement on the 28th ASEAN meeting in Brunei  
                                                                         
                                                      Date: July 25, 1995

Today, the world is moving towards a situation where countries
can peacefully co-exist without one attempting to dominate others 
by force or manipulation.

The peoples of the world also want to live under governments
which show each other mutual respect and cooperation.  But it is
very difficult for governments to deal with another country when
that country is ruled by a government which rules against the
will of its own people.

This is the difficult situation of Burma in Southeast Asia. We
understand and support the basic principles of the ASEAN member
countries to have amity, cooperation and co-existence among the
countries of the region. And we assumes that the Asean policy of
constructive engagement with Burma is intended to reflect these
principles.

But the SLORC is a military government which seized power by
force in the military coup d'etat of September 18, 1988. It took
power after suppressing a popular uprising and rules Burma
against the will of the people which was clearly expressed in the
general elections of May 1990. We therefore believe that it is
inappropriate for the ASEAN countries to invite the SLORC to
attend ASEAN meetings.

Not only is the SLORC not an elected, it is also a government
involved in civil war against its own ethnic people, and one
which has broken its own cease-fire agreements with them and is
engaged in attacking the Karen and Karenni people in Karen and
Kayah states. 

We believe this situation should be clearly acknowledge by the
ASEAN countries and they should make it clear they will not
welcome Burma to ASEAN meetings until there is an elected
civilian government in Burma. 

We appeal to the ASEAN member countries to urge the SLORC:

-to unconditionally release all political prisoners including
prominent student leader Min Ko Naing,
-to cease human rights abuses against the people of Burma,
-to start a tripartite dialogue immediately with democratic
forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and leaders of ethnic groups,
-to smoothly return the state power to the people by transferring
power to the elected representatives of 1990 general election led
by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.


Central Committee
ABBESU(Thailand)