media statement (r)

[082903@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

>
>ALTSEAN-BURMA
>A L T E R N A T I V E     A S E A N    N E T W O R K    O N     B U R M A
>tel: 66 2 275 1811,  66 2 693 4515            fax: 66 2 693 4515
><altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>
>c/o FORUM-ASIA  109 SUTHISARNWINICHAI RD  SAMSENNOK   HUAYKWANG   BANGKOK
>10320   THAILAND
>
>
>MEDIA STATEMENT
>
>BURMA'S ADMITTANCE A DAY OF SHAME FOR ASEAN
>
>Today's welcoming ceremony for the admission of Burma's State Law and Order
>Restoration Council (Slorc) as a full member of the Association of Southeast
>Asian Nations (Asean) is a mark of shame to peoples of the region who value
>human rights, justice, democracy and peace.
>
>This act of recognizing the infamous regime as the government of Burma is a
>direct, oppressive interference in Burma's affairs.  To deny the people's
>vote in 1990 that granted 82% of parliamentary seats to the National League
>for Democracy (NLD) and instead recognize the brutal junta, which won only
>5% of the seats, amounts to an obscenity. 
>
>Asean's refusal to dialogue with the government-elect of Burma is further
>proof of its poor commitment to the peace, justice, rule of law and social
>progress espoused in the Bangkok Declaration of 1967, which established Asean. 
>
>Asean's choice to welcome Slorc and therefore squander its leverage to
>ensure genuine reform in Burma is a sell-out of our 48 million neighbors in
>Burma.  The proposed Asean Vision 2020 which is supposedly aimed at
>achieving peace, freedom, prosperity and neutrality is therefore more of a
>hallucination.
>
>We hold this silent protest in solidarity with the peoples of Burma and
>other parts of Southeast Asia who continue to be killed, jailed, tortured,
>harassed and deprived of education, health services and food.  We stand in
>solidarity with them because we, too, are subject to oppression.  In the
>past few days, several activists in Kuala Lumpur have been summoned by the
>authorities and warned not to participate in any protest actions.  We have
>been sternly reminded that a gathering of 5 or more people constitute an
>"illegal assembly".  This law and other unjust laws prohibiting peaceful and
>legitimate activities are similar to those being enforced in Burma and other
>parts of Southeast Asia.
>
>Therefore, we call on the member states of Asean to confirm that they do
>value peace, democracy, justice and human rights as expressed in a range of
>Asean declarations.  We urge them to prove respect for their citizens by
>ensuring positive reforms to develop a civil society.  We urge them to prove
>that the content and spirit of these declarations go beyond mere lip service.
>
>Further, we strongly urge member states of Asean and its dialogue partners
>to prioritize on its agenda, the deteriorating situation in Burma during the
>next few days.  We strongly urge the Asean Regional Forum to formulate and
>implement with determination and firmness, a coordinated and comprehensive
>strategy to ensure a prompt cessation of human rights violations and a
>restoration of democracy in Burma.
>
>Signed on July 23, 1997 in Kuala Lumpur:
>
>
>Debbie Stothard					Fan Yew Teng
>ALTSEAN-BURMA				Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia
>
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	News and Information Dept.
	All Burma Students' Democratic Organisation (ABSD)) [Austrlaia]
	Tel/Fax: 61+03+98132613

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