Singapore statement (r)

[altsean@xxxxxxxxxx]

(via altsean@xxxxxxxxxx)

Parti Demokratic Singapura * Singapore Democratic Party
133 New Bridge Road, #13-05 Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413. Tel: 534 4062
Fax: 532 5469

Media Release

The SDP calls on ASEAN not to accept Burma, under the present circumstances,
into the Association.  The SLORC regime has shown complete disregard of
human decency by continuing its brutal rule of the Burmese people.  The
formal inclusion of the pariah regime brings not an ounce of good nor
credibility to ASEAN.  The SLORC's continued repression of Burma spells not
only of political instability within the country and the region but also of
economic liability in Southeast Asia.

For the years that the ASEAN policy of constructive engagement has been in
place, the military junta has not made any significant effort to mend its
ways and improve its record of human rights for the people of Burma.  On the
contrary, it has stepped up its arrests and detention of its political
opponents and continued its practice of using forced labour and child labour
for its own benefit.  Membership into ASEAN will only confer legitimacy upon
the regime which it does not deserve and, inadvertently, encourage it to
continue its repressive rule of the country.

If ASEAN wants to progress to be made in Burma, then it cannot ignore Ms
Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy as the party is the
legitimate government elected by the Burmese people in 1990 with an
overwhelming majority.  The SDP, therefore, calls on ASEAN to respect the
wishes of the Burmese people and include Ms Suu Kyi in the engagement
process instead of talking only to a group of military generals who have no
mandate to govern.

More specifically, the Singapore Government must not continue its
hypocritical relationship with a military regime which thinks nothing of
aiding drug lords to produce and traffick opium and heroin throughout the
world whilst hanging small-time drug peddlars when they come into this
country.  Singapore cannot continue to look the other way when people all
over the world are affected by drugs coming out from the refineries in
Burma.  It is about time the PAP acts responsibly in this matter and not
support the inclusion of Burma into ASEAN.

Dated 29 May 1997


Signed

Chee Soon Juan
Secretary-General