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Bangkok post & The Nation (26-9-99) (r)



Subject: Bangkok post & The Nation (26-9-99), 

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<font face=3D"Times New Roman, Times" size=3D5>Junta 'open to all human
rights ideas'<br>
</font><font size=3D4><b>Win Aung tells UN aim is for democracy<br>
</font></b><font size=3D2><i>United Nations, Reuters<br>
<br>
</font></i><font size=3D3>Burma=92s foreign minister defended his country=92=
s
human rights record to the United Nations General Assembly, several hours
after pro-democracy exiles described persistent abuses by the military
government.<br>
=93We fully subscribe to the human rights norms enshrined tn the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights,=94 Foreign Minister Win Aung said on Friday.
=93Here, I wish to underscore that the government does not condone any
violations of human rights.=94<br>
But the foreign minister said that if =93there is an imperative need for
improvement in areas of human rights, we are willing and ready to receive
sensible suggestions and take whatever action we possibly could=94.<br>
=93The type of democracy we envision will guaraniee the protection and
promotion of human rights, particularly the rights to basic needs such as
cloth</font><font size=3D1> </font><font size=3D3>ing, food and shelter, =93=
he
said.<br>
But activists from the National Coalition Government of the Union of
Burma denounced repeated abuses by the government and said humanitarian
aid could be used for political ends.<br>
=93The list of abuses almost defines the possible range of ways a human
being=92s rights canbe abused,=94 said Bo Hla Tint, the group=92s director f=
or
North and South American affairs, who said such abuses included forced
labour, arbitrary arrests, torture, rape and a clampdown on any political
oppositIon.<br>
Thaung Htun, the coalition=92s representative for UN affairs, told a news
conference that several countries, the UN and the World Bank had offered
Burma aid =93to entice the military regime into a political=20
dialogue=94.<br>
But he said that any humanitarian assistance had to be monitored
carefully =93or there is a risk of manipulation by the government=94.<br>
Thaung Htun said the government created relief groups to work with UN
agencies and pretended they were independent bodies.<br>
=93There is no space in the society where community-based organisations can
work freely without interferenc=A0 from the military,=94 he said.
</font><font size=3D1>-<br>
<br>
<br>
</font><font size=3D5><b><div align=3D"center">
Burma defend rights record<br>
</font></b><font size=3D2><i>Reuters<br>
<br>
</font></i><font size=3D3></div>
UNiTED NATIONS -</font><font size=3D1> </font><font size=3D3>Burma=92s forei=
gn
minister defended his country=92s human rights record to the UN General
Assembly several hours after pro-democracy exiles described persistent
abuses by the military government.<br>
=93We fully subscribe to the human rights norms enshrined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights,=94 Foreign Minister Win Aung said on Friday.
=93Here, I wish to underscore that the government does not condone any
violations of human rights.=94<br>
But activists from the National Coalition Government of the Union of
Burma denounced repeated abuses by the government and said humanitarian
aid could be used for political ends.<br>
=93The list of abuses almost defines the possible range of ways a human
being=92s tights can be abused,=94 said Ba Hla Tint, the group=92s director =
for
North and South American affairs, who said such abuses included forced
labour, arbitrary arrests, torture, rape and a clampdown on any political
opposition.<br>
Thaung Hum, the coalition=92s representative for UN affairs, told a news
conference that several countries, the United Nations and the World Bank
had offered Burma aid =93to entice the military regime into a political
dialogue=94. But he said that any humanitarian assistance had to be
monitored carefully =93or there is a risk of manipulation by the
government=94.<br>
Thaung Htum said the government created relief groups to work with UN
agencies and pretended they were independent bodies.<br>
<br>
</font>
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