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ABSDF URGES EU TO BE TOUGH ON BURME



Subject: ABSDF URGES EU TO BE TOUGH ON BURMESE MILITARY JUNTA




Media Release - 11/99
February 3, 1999


          ABSDF URGES EU TO BE TOUGH ON BURMESE MILITARY REGIME

The All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) urges the
European Union (EU) to maintain its tough stance on Burma and
reconsider allowing the attendance of Burma at the Asean-EU
Ministerial Meeting.

The reported recent softening in the EU's policy on Burma
contrasts with the increasing severity of the junta's approach to
the pro-democracy opposition in Burma.

Burma's membership of Asean has been a stumbling block in
Asean-EU relations since it joined the grouping in 1997. Two
years of Asean membership has not lessened the junta's oppression
of its own people. In contrast, the EU's stance in refusing to
recognize the Burmese military regime has reflected the
international condemnation of the military's human rights record.

Since joining Asean, the Burmese military has jailed, tortured,
and given long prison terms to thousands of pro-democracy
supporters, particularly targeting the National League for
Democracy (NLD). In only the last fortnight Thet Win Aung, a
student activist, was given 52 years imprisonment with hard
labour for working to promote democracy in Burma, the harshest
prison sentence yet meted out to a political activist.

The EU should be mindful of the fact that all forms of human
rights violations, including forced labour, relocation,
extortion, confiscation of farming land, burning and looting of
villages and extra-judicial killings in ethnic nationality areas
have continued unabated.

The junta has also ignored repeated calls by the opposition for
political dialogue, which offers an honourable means of solving
the country's long-standing conflict, with all sides
participating on an equal footing.  

The ABSDF urges the EU not to allow any members of the Burmese
military to participate in the Asean-EU Ministerial meeting
unless there have been substantial improvements in the human
rights situation in Burma, including the release of all political
prisoners; and the regime has taken concrete steps to enter into
dialogue with the leaders of the NLD, including Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi.

All Burma Students' Democratic Front

For more information please contact 01-654 4984, 01-253 9082