SUU KYI ASKS ASEAN: ENGAGE WITH US

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EMBARGOED: FOR RELEASE ON MAY 29,1997

MEDIA RELEASE

SUU KYI ASKS ASEAN: ENGAGE WITH US

Bangkok, Thurs. - Burma democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has called on
the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) to ensure that its
engagement with Burma leads towards the development of democracy in that
country.

Ms Suu Kyi said: " ..if Asean is truly interested in constructive engagement
it should try engage with both sides in Burma, with the Slorc (State Law and
Order Restoration Council) as well as the democratic opposition, and make
sure the engagement leads to something constructive, in the way of
development towards democracy."
Ms Suu Kyi, who is General Secretary of the National League for Democracy
added that Asean should engage with the NLD "because we are the party which
was elected by the people in the democratic elections of 1990."

In a videotaped message to Asean which was secretly taped and smuggled out
of the country, the Nobel Laureate said that Burma under military rule was
"not going to be any credit to Asean".

Citing a decline in expenditure on education and health during the regime's
military rule, Ms Suu Kyi pointed out that the Slorc had made a "mess of the
economy" because "they have mismanaged the economy by mismanaging the people
of Burma ... that is going to be disastrous in the long run."

"The fact that (is) people everywhere in Burma have to live under a lot of
stress because there is no security for them, and stress leads to instability."

Ms Suu Kyi said that the NLD or any elected civilian government would be a
better Asean partner because it would have the mandate of the people and
work on the basis of trust.
In the video, which was recorded under severe technical restraints owing to
the restrictions imposed by the Slorc on the charismatic leader, Ms Suu Kyi
reiterated her call for responsible government and responsible investment:
"We are not against business and we are not against investment, but we are
not in favour of the kind of investment that simply encourages the military
regime to increase its oppressiveness."

ALTSEAN-BURMA Coordinator Debbie Stothard said that Ms Suu Kyi's concerns
about the economic and political instability perpetrated by the Slorc were
concrete reasons to delay Slorc's entry into Asean: "We should not cheapen
ourselves by rushing to grant them membership.  The junta's track record is
a grave concern not just to the people of Burma, but also to investors and
political leaders.  The regime is notorious for making promises it has no
intention of keeping.  The Burmese elections 7 years ago is clear proof of
that," said Ms Stothard.

ENDS

Video transcript follows

For more information, please call BKK (66 2) 693 4515 or 275 1811
or email <altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>

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TRANSCRIPT:

MESSAGE TO THE LEADERS OF ASEAN FROM AUNG SAN SUU KYI, GENERAL SECRETARY,
NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY.

MAY 1997

Due to the restrictions imposed on Daw Suu Kyi by the military regime, the
State Law and Order Restoration Council, this video was recorded under
severe technical restraints and was smuggled out of Burma at great risk to
those involved.

Q:	In your view, how has the military regime mismanaged Burma's economy?

A:	There are several theories about it but one of the most important  is the
fact that they do not have a proper macro-economic policy.  And of course,
such institutions like the IMF have great doubts about their deficit funding

        Now, we think that they have mismanaged the economy by mismanaging
the people of Burma. Basically that's why they have made such a mess of the
economy.  They are not making proper use of our resources, our human
resources as well as our material resources.

Q:	What is the long-term impact of military rule on the workforce?

A:	Well, this comes back to what I was saying just now about mismanagement
of resources.  They are not making proper use of our human resources.  They
are spending much less on education now than was spent eight years ago
before  the democratic revolution, and of course, they are spending much
less money on health care.  That means they are not looking after our people
either physically or mentally, and that is going to be disastrous in the
long run.

Q:	What does the recent unrest indicate to you about the stability of the
country?

A:	I think unrest anywhere and tension anywhere is symptomatic of
instability throughout the country.  The fact that (is) people everywhere in
Burma have to live under a lot of stress because there is no security for
them, and stress leads to instability.

Q:	In your view, what are the risks involved in the Slorc being admitted
into Asean?

A:	Burma under Slorc is not going to be any credit to Asean, but I think
what Burma risks, what the people of Burma risk, is the possibility that
admission into Asean will make Slorc even more obdurant and oppressive than
ever. 

Q:	Why would a democratic government be a better Asean partner?

A:	The NLD or any other elected civilian government would have the mandate
of the people. It would have the trust and the confidence of the people and
I think, also consequently, the confidence of the international community.
A government that works on the basis of trust would be a lot more effective
than a government that uses the power of arms to keep itself in control , at
the helm of state power.

Now there's another thing: A civilian government , a democratically elected
civilian government would have to listen to the voice of the people. It
would have to listen to the voice of the world and by listening, such a
government would be able to discover what its mistakes are and be able to
correct them.

Q:	What does the National League for Democracy want Asean to do?

A:	Asean says that it believes in constructive engagement, so we would like
Asean to make sure that the engagement is constructive.  And also I think
they should be engaged with us as well, the National League for Democracy
because we are the party which was elected by the people in the democratic
elections of 1990.   We have never been given a chance to do anything about
that, and I think if Asean is truly interested in constructive engagement it
should try engage with both sides in Burma, with the Slorc as well as the
democratic opposition, and make sure the engagement leads to something
constructive, in the way of development towards democracy. 

Q:	What is the NLD's policy on Asean investment in Burma?

A:	We are not against business and we are not against investment.  But we
are not in favour of the kind of investment that simply encourages the
military regime to increase its oppressiveness.  We are not in favour of the
kind of investment that makes some people, a very privileged elite, very,
very rich while the rest of the country stays as poor as ever.

        So, we want responsible government and responsible investment.

ENDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL BKK (66 2) 693 4515 OR 275 1811, 
or email <altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>