9/9/97: LETTERS TO ASEAN LEADERS

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

/* Written 13 Sep 6:00am 1997 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* ----------------" Letters to ASEAN leaders "--------------- */

LETTERS TO & ADDRESSES OF ASEAN LEADERS
***************************************
One of our colleague has recently pointed out the need to build up some
form of dialogue, albeit in creative ways, with ASEAN leaders. Probably
the major problem we found with most ASEAN leaders (except to a few) are
that of the non-forthrightness and non-transparency. Many of them preferred
back-door discussions than public engagements when it comes to political
matters. This non-openness in the political matters may also be attributed
to Asian personality.

The other thing that must be accounted for is the generation gap of those
ASEAN leaders. Many of them are born in 1920-30s [For example: President
Suharto(1921- ); Dr Mahathir(1925- );General Chavalit(1932- ) and President
Ramos (1928- ) etc.]. Many of them went through the period of independence
struggle against the West. These leaders, therefore, are likely to maintain
their views against the West: the world they see may be that of the divide
between "Expansionist-Imperialists" and "us". These ASEAN leaders may not
easily understand injustices being interpreted in terms of violation of
human rights.

Nowadays, of course, it's nothing new to the world of the social/political
movements of this kind. In recent times, we have seen these in Eastern
Europe and South Africa. Movements, not only in their behaviour but also in
their objectives, are different from interest-groups and political parties;
and Movements do not operate as governments or political parties. Many of
those ASEAN leaders, such social/political movements may be quite
unfamiliar to them. To those ASEAN leaders, the anti-apartheid movement of
South Africa may be more understandable (therefore, likely to be more
sympathetic) in comparison to human rights/political movements in other
part of the world. Therefore, in delivering our messages, we must try to
translate, as much as possible, from the language of human rights to the
language of those ASEAN leaders can understand.

For Burmese national activists, there are more avenues that we can
chanalled our messages to. Try to explain your personal connection to the
movement. For those ASEAN leaders, expressing concern for the fellow
countrymen can be more understandable than that of your intention to
improve human rights situation in Burma. -- Regards, U Ne Oo.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOME ADDRESS OF ASEAN LEADERS

1. President Suharto                   2. Dr Mahathir Mohamad
   Sekretariat Negara RI                  Prime Minister
   J1 Veteran, Jakarta                    Jalan Dato Onn
   Republic of Indonesia.                 50502 Kuala Lumper, Malaysia.

3. Mr Goh Chok Tong                    4. General Chavalit Yongchaiyut
   Prime Minister                         Office of the Prime Minister
   460 Alexandra Road                     Government HOuse
   #37-00, PSA building                   Nakhorn Pathom Road
   Singapore 119963                       Bangkok 10300, Thailand.

5. Fidel V Ramos                       6. Anwar Ibrahim
   President of Philippine                Deputy Prime Minister
   Malacanang Palace                      Deputy PM's Office
   Manila, The Philippines                Jalan Dato Onn
                                          50502 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

7. Sanoh Theinthong                    8. Mr Ali Alatas
   Ministry of Interior                   Foreign Minister
   Asdang Road                            Department of Foreign Affairs
   Bangkok 10200, Thailand                J1 Taman Pejambon No.6
                                          Jakarta 10110, Indonesia.

EMBASSIES

1. H.E. Mr S Wiryano                    2. H.E. Amb.
   Embassy of Republic of Indonesia        Malaysian High Commissioner
   8 Darwin Avenue                         7 Perth Avenue
   YARRALUMLA ACT 2600                     YARRALUMLA ACT 2600
   CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA.

3. H.E. Amb                             4. H.E. Amb.
   Embassy of the Philippines              High Commission of Singapore
   1 Moonah Palace                         17 Forster Creeks
   Yarralumla ACT 2600                     Yarralumla ACT 2600

5. H.E. Amb.
   Royal Thai Embassy
   111 Empire Circuit
   Yarralumla, ACT 2600

LETTER TO PRESIDENT FIDEL RAMOS
*******************************

September 9, 1997.

Fidel V Ramos
President of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
Manila, The Philippines.

Dear Mr President:

I am a Burmese national currently residing in Australia. I came to
Australia in 1988 as a scholar to do Ph.D. degree in Physics at the
University of Adelaide. In 1992, the Burmese military government canceled
my passport to become a refugee in Australia. Since then, I have been
engaging in the advocacy for Burma's refugees, with the principal aim of
alleviating sufferings of my fellow countrymen who are displaced in
neighbouring countries. As Mr President may well aware, there are hundreds
of thousands of refugees and displaced Burmese currently in Thailand and
Bangladesh. I have been doing this advocacy work mainly in my personal
capacity and am not affiliated with any political parties.

Because I believe in the humanitarianism of the ASEAN member countries, I
am writing to you, the President of Philippines, for your help in regards
to persuading the Military government of Myanmar (State Law and Order
Restoration Council), the opposition party(National League for Democracy)
and the ethnic nationalities to enter dialogue and to make national
reconciliation. I believe that there are sufficient room for both
government and opposition to compromise in order to achieve national
reconciliation: i.e. in the immediate future, both military and civilian
representatives are to be included in the government of Burma. In this
connection, I enclosed my communication to the U.N.Secretary-General on
29-April-1997 with this letter. I am hoping that such initiative for
political reconciliation in Burma will bring an end to the problem of
refugees and displaced people.

With this note, I respectfully urge Mr President to encourage Thailand, as
a member country of ASEAN, to hand over the affairs of Burma's refugees and
displaced people to the United Nations High Commissioner for REfugees.

On this occasion, I also like to thank the members of ASEAN diplomatic
circle for their valuable contributions that have been made since May-1993,
in regards to solving Burma's Rohingya refugee problem. As in the enclosed
information, the plight of Rohingyas being far from over and we, therefore,
are continuing to seek support from ASEAN and international community for
this matter.

In closing, I thank Mr President for your kind considerations to these
matters. The helps that given by Mr President and the people of Philippines
for the improvement of the situation in Burma are greatly appreciated by
the Burmese people.

YOurs respectfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo.

/* Endreport */