URGENT MEDIA RELEASE

[eyar@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Students Federation of Thailand (SFT) in Coalition with exiled Burmese
Student Groups in Thailand

URGENT MEDIA RELEASE!

Thai and Burmese Students On Hunger Strike In Protest to Burma's
Admission
to ASEAN

22nd July 1997

The official ASEAN welcoming ceremony for Burma's ruling State Law and
Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) is to be held tomorrow in Malaysia. Amid the
festivities in Kuala Lumpur, a more sombre crowd will gather in Bangkok,
Thailand to stage a hunger strike in one final protest against ASEAN's
acceptance of ruling military regime. 

The Students Federation of Thailand (SFT), in coalition with
representatives
from the exiled Burmese Student movement in Thailand, will gather
outside of
the Malaysian Embassy at 10am on the 22nd of July until such a time as
their
demands have been met (see attached statement). Similar actions are
being
planned by students in other parts of Thailand. Ko Kyaun Tha, a 27 year
old
former student who participated in the 1988 uprising inside Burma stated
that,  "ASEAN has exposed itself as nothing more than a association of
frauds who have charmed the rest of the world with the ideal of a
peaceful,
co-operative and just South East Asia, but who have consistently failed
to
act in accordance with such ideals. Acceptance of SLORC as a legitimate
'government' has rendered ASEAN complicit in the gross human rights
abuses
perpetrated by the SLORC against the Burmese people. Today is a day of
shame
for our region".

The coalition of students, at great risk to their personal security,
have
gathered together to remind ASEAN and the international community that
many
of the citizens of Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and
the
Philippines are opposed to the union. ASEAN's behaviour has left a great
many people in the region, especially those who have some regard for the
principles of human rights, peace and democracy, concerned and
disappointed.
Many people in neighbouring countries have lodged their dissatisfaction
with
their own governments, but with little effect. "One wonders about the
actual
life- expectancy of democracy in our region" challenged Khun Naksusaa,
one
Thai student leader.

The hunger-strikers will highlight the hypocrisy inherent in ASEAN's
move to
embrace and legitimise the 'government' with one of the worst human
rights
records in the world in a joint statement issued today. The Bangkok
declaration of 1967 states that the Association (ASEAN) shall promote
regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the
rule of law and through the adherence to the principles of the United
Nations Charter. 

Khun Naksusaa asserted that "ASEAN has threatened regional peace and
security, shown blatant disrespect for justice and the rule of law and
has
distanced itself from the principles enshrined in the UN Charter in
aligning
itself with SLORC" She questioned, "What do we have to do to put an end
to
the suffering and exploitation of the Burmese people by the military?
How
many people have to be tortured and imprisoned? How many people have to
be
forced labourers and porters for the military? How many? ASEAN and the
international community are aware of what is going on- why isn't
something
being done?".

For further information about the hunger strike and for further
comments,
please contact Khun Naksusaa and Ko Kyaun Tha at the site of the hunger
strike, Malaysian Embassy, 15F Regent House, 183 Rajdamri Road, Bangkok.


        _________________________________________________________
        JOINT STATEMENT ON BURMA'S OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE INTO ASEAN

Burma has become known throughout the world as the country with the most
appalling human rights record. Additionally, it has been dubbed the
world's
least developed nation since 1987. It is widely known that the State Law
and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC) is governing the people of Burma
without
legitimacy of any kind. They rule the country at gunpoint and by fear.

That the ASEAN nations have agreed to welcome such an illegitimate
'government' into it's ranks is a matter of great concern for many
citizens
of ASEAN nations, including Burma and Thailand, who hold the principles
of
peace, democracy and human rights in high regard. ASEAN's constructive
engagement policy has, over time, failed to produce any positive
outcomes.
Instead, we have seen a rising number of refugees along Burma's border
regions, more frequent and open arrests of opposition members, and a
worsening economy and social system- for example, all schools inside
Burma
have remained closed since December 1996. Burma is indeed becoming more
confident in practising it's policy of repression and abuse. ASEAN
leaders,
by accepting SLORC into their ranks, are complicit in the human rights
abuses perpetrated by the SLORC.

The presence of SLORC within ASEAN can only bring trouble to our region.
Whenever there has been some internal conflict brewing within Burma, the
SLORC has responded by creating border tensions to divert attention from
political problems. In this sense, the SLORC are a threat to regional
security. Further, ASEAN's credibility within the international
community as
being a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality (Zone of Peace, Freedom
and
Neutrality Declaration, Malaysia, 27/11/71).

ASEAN has shamed itself with Burma. The 'Bangkok Declaration' of 1967
stated
that the Association shall promote regional peace and stability through
abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and through the
adherence to
the principles of the United Nations Charter. Instead, ASEAN has
blatantly
threatened regional peace and security, shown appalling disrespect for
justice and the rule of law and has distanced itself considerably from
the
principles en-shrined in the UN Charter. 

In order to draw world wide attention to the shame of ASEAN's acceptance
of
SLORC, we, a coalition of Thai and Burmese Student Organisations, have
decided to stage a hunger strike. We will continue to protest against
Burma's relationship with ASEAN until the following demands have been
met;

1. ASEAN must consult with the democratic opposition within Burma,
including
Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as a matter of urgency and
encourage
tripartite dialogue to take place between SLORC, the democratic
oppostion
and the ethnic groups.
2. ASEAN must withhold the benefits of full membership rights from the
SLORC
conditional upon seeing significant improvements in the civil, political
and
economic situation inside Burma.
3. ASEAN must negotiate for the immediate and unconditional release of
political prisoners inside Burma, as well as those dissidents detained
in
Thailand at the Special Detention Center in Bangkok, and at other
prisons
throughout the country.
4. ASEAN should oversee the transfer of political power to the NLD  who
won
an overwhelming victory in the 1990 general election.

We will continue our hunger strike from 10am on the 22nd of July outside
of
the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok, in protest to the shameful actions of
ASEAN and the official welcome of SLORC as a ASEAN member in Malaysia.
We
will continue our hunger strike until such a time as our demands are
met. 

We represent a coalition of Burmese Student Groups in Thailand and the
Students Federation of Thailand (SFT).
******************************************************
Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB),
328 Phayathai Road,
Rajthevee,
Bangkok 10400,
THAILAND.

tel/fax:  (+662) 216 4463
email:    carol@xxxxxxxxxx