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From All Burma Students League



MEDIA RELEASE

New Delhi; July 5, 2000

Burma's military strongman Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt is currently on a five-day visit to Pakistan, leading a 20-member strong delegation. 

During the visit, Burmese delegation will meet Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and the two countries are expected to discuss a number of issues in strengthening the bilateral relationship. Lt. General Khin Nyunt, who is head of military intelligence and Secretary No. (1) in the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), is considered to be the most influential figure in the military regime. 

He is the highest-ranking Burmese junta official to visit Pakistan after the military took over power in Burma in 1988.

He is known as "pro-China" and "pro-Pakistan" among the top generals of the ruling military junta. It is a known fact that there has been growing cooperation and interactions between the intelligence agencies of Burma and Pakistan in recent years. The Jane's Intelligence Review in June this year stated that "the armed forces and defence industries of Pakistan and Myanmar (Burma) have developed a close working relationship" over the past decade.

Pakistan reportedly sold arms and ammunition valued at about US $ 20 million in 1989 when the Burmese military regime was in crucial period for its survival. And it continues to provide arms and ammunition, training and military technology to the regime in Burma.

We, the members of All Burma Students League, are on a view that the growing military and intelligence cooperation between the two military regimes of the region is a serious threat to stability and security of the region. The clear evidence of close ties between the two military regimes in Asia has led to concerns over the region's future stability. Moreover, by militarily aligning with Pakistan, the present Burmese military junta has abandoned "the policy of neutrality" in regional and international affairs, which Burma had upheld since after its independence. 

Moreover, it is a clear embarrassment for India as Lt. General Khin Nyunt is in Pakistan while India's Army Chief General V.P Malik is currently on an official visit to Burma. India has been in recent years establishing a "working relationship" with the junta in Burma. Lt. General Khin Nyunt is one of the strong contenders to succeed the ailing military leader Senior General Than Shwe in near future.

We strongly condemn against the visit of Lt. General Khin Nyunt to Pakistan as it creates more suspicious tensions (which already exist) in this region. We also request the people of Pakistan to urge the Government of General Musharraf to stop supporting military junta in Burma.

To register our protest against Pakistan government, which invited Lt. General Khin Nyunt and junta delegation to Pakistan, we the members of All Burma Students League organized a demonstration in New Delhi on 5th July. The demonstration was held at Jantar Mantar at 11:00 a.m. for an hour. After the demonstration, a five-member delegation of All Burma Students League went to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to submit their memorandum which urges the Pakistan military government to stop arms supply to Burma junta and to dissociate with the Burmese junta.

Down with Military Rule
Down with Dictatorship
(Pakistan) Stop Arms Sale to Burma
(India) Support Democracy in Burma
(India) Disengage with the junta in Burma


Central Committee
All Burma Students League

Contact numbers: +91-11-3017172/ 5511076 and fax: +91-11-3793397
Email: abslhq1@xxxxxxxxxxx

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