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ADELAIDE PETITION (19/6/95)
Received: by pilot.physics.adelaide.edu.au (5.61+IDA+MU/UA-5.23) id AA01089; Fri, 29 Dec 1995 09:28:20 +1030
> Subject: ADELAIDE PETITION (19/6/95 REPOSTED)
>
> /* Written 29 Dec 1995 9:00am by DRUNOO@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
> /* -------------" ADELAIDE PETITION (19/6/95) "--------------- */
>
> BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN BURMA
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Burma(sometime called Myanmar) has a population of 43 million with a
> complex mix of a Burman majority and ethnic minorities. The whole country
> has been under a military dictatorship of one form or another since 1962.
> After the brutal crackdown on a nationwide prodemocracy movement in 1988,
> Burma's military authorities promised a free election and transfer of power
> to civilian government.
> The promised election was held in 27 May 1990 and the Opposition party,
> National League for Democracy (NLD), won 80per cent of the seats. The
> military then refused to transfer power and said that the representatives
> were elected not to govern, but to draw up a new constitution. This
> announcement by military authorities was followed by series of crackdown on
> political dissent on population, including the elected representatives.
> Many ordinary people who voiced their dissent to government were dismissed
> or demoted from their jobs or jailed. Up until now, there has been no sign
> of transfer or power to the elected civilian government by the military
> authorities.
>
> DETENTION OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the founder and leader of National League for
> Democracy, been under house arrest since July 20, 1989. The National League
> for Democracy decisively won the May 1990 election despite the detention of
> its leader. Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for
> her non-violent opposition to the ruling military junta, the State Law and
> Order Restoration Council (SLORC).
>
> CEASE-FIRE AND PEACE SETTLEMENTS
> --------------------------------
> Burma has a complex mix of indigenous nationalities, though the majority is
> Burman. The ethnic minorities have been waging war against the central
> government since 1948 for greater autonomy from majority Burmans. The
> representatives elected at the May 1990 election, fled to ethnic minority
> areas and with the support of ethnic minority rebels have promoted a future
> Federal Union for Burma as a solution.
> The military government rejected the solution of a federal union for
> Burma and the ethnic rebels were coerced to sign peace deals without any
> compromise made on the political issues. The ethnic rebels who insisted
> political settlement with central government had been suppressed: the Karen
> National Union, for example, have been driven out from their headquarters
> in January 1995. This resulted in further outflow of 10,000 refugees into
> Thailand. In April, incursions by Burmese government troops onto Thai soil
> to attack Karen refugees have been reported. There is a major concern about
> potential destabilization between the two governments and the region. This
> warrants an international action to initiate a peaceful settlement of
> conflicts within Burma.
>
> THE INTERNATIONAL ARMS EMBARGO
> ------------------------------
> The present military junta spend 35 per cent of national budget on
> maintaining the army and build-up of arms. In 1991, the military government
> purchased US$ 1.2 billion worth of arms from China. The government
> reportedly paid its debt to China with primary products like rice, peas,
> beans and logs. This has caused further stress on the rural population,
> which is currently reported to be in a state of extreme poverty. Burma's
> GDP per capita is $650 and its Human DEvelopment Index (HDI) is 0.406. This
> extent of poverty can be compared with Vietnam (GDP/capita=$1250,
> HDI=0.514) and Thailand (GDP/capita=$5270, HDI=0.789). The continuing
> decline on human security warrants an international action, such as
> international arms embargo.
> For further informations, please contact Dr U Ne Oo, 48/2 Ayliffes RD,
> ST MARYS 5042 (AUSTRALIA).
>
> /* Endreport */
>