EBO BURMA NEWS 20 JULY 2003
News Summary:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.
2.
3.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Myanmar might have to be expelled
from ASEAN: Mahathir
PUTRAJAYA,
the ASEAN grouping if its military rulers
continue defying world pressure to
release democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi,
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad warned in an interview.
Mahathir, who played a major role in
bringing
Association of Southeast Asian Nations in
1997, made it clear, however, that
this would only be considered as a last
resort.
"We will have to examine every avenue
before we can take such drastic
actions," he told AFP in an exclusive
interview ahead of a visit Tuesday by
French President Jacques Chirac.
"In the end, it may have to be that
way. I don't say that it cannot be but
certainly not at this moment."
"We have already informed them that
we are very disappointed with the turn
of events and we hope that Aung San Suu Kyi
will be released as soon as
possible," Mahathir said.
"They sent an envoy to see me and I
told them that is our view. We are very
disappointed over these things and of course, we have
done our very best to
try and get them to change their minds but if
they are willing to defy the
world, then what can
Mahathir said, however: "We don't
criticise member states unless what one
state does embarasses
us, causes a problem for us.
"We are thinking about ourselves as
ASEAN, we are not criticising
for doing what is not related to us, but what
they have done has affected us,
our credibility. Because of that, we have
voiced our views."
---------------------------------
VOA News
By Ron Corben,
to agree on a plan for reconciliation and
democracy in
economic sanctions. However, the signs from
military government and democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi are not promising.
next door neighbor,
all parties, including
a workable framework for reconciliation.
A proposal by Thai Foreign Minister Suriakiart Sathirathai calls
instead for talks
that include
(NLD), and
representatives from Southeast Asian and Western countries.
Mr. Suriakiart
says the parties must agree on a framework - he uses the term
"road
map" - that could realistically lead to reconciliation between the
government
and the NLD. The Foreign Ministry spokesman, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, says
the Burmese generals have to give the
international community some specific
idea of the steps they would be willing to
consider.
"[Dr Suriakiart]
is also calling on the
in terms of a road map so that the Western
countries can have some kind of
benchmark to consider the position of the
moving things forward," he said.
-----------------------------
by Sarah Stewart
state media targetting
democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has raised fears the
junta could be planning to ban her party and
detain her indefinitely,
observers say.
Purportedly written by a disenchanted
member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National
League for Democracy (NLD), the articles
attempt to portray her as vain and
arrogant and her followers as hooligans bent on
stirring up unrest.
The commentaries which began appearing in
official newspapers two weeks ago
are clearly aimed at blaming the NLD for
violent clashes that erupted on May
30 when Aung San Suu Kyi and her
supporters were ambushed by a pro-junta gang
during a political tour of northern
"The finger is being well and truly
pointed at the NLD and by extension
Aung San Suu Kyi that they were provoking
problems throughout this journey,"
said one
"It could be all part of their plan
to perhaps declare the NLD an illegal
organisation," he said, adding that the hostile
tone suggested the ruling
generals had no plans to release her.
"Their actions to date would indicate
that they're not looking to let her
go any time soon."
Apart from detailing the events leading up
to the clashes which triggered
Aung San Suu Kyi's detention, the
commentaries are also a clumsy attempt to
poison readers against the immensely popular
opposition leader.
"Auntie Suu is a willful
and hard-headed person liable to rash judgments
followed by blind action, in her relations with
the present government," said
one, referring to her as an "ordinary
housewife."
"Nevertheless, whatever the
provocation, responsible leaders of the present
government, preferring to act with forbearance, and
on the basis of give and
take, have always chosen to take action in
moderation."
One edition ran a photograph of Aung San
Suu Kyi sitting at a table with
the nation's top brass and captioned it as a
"family dinner."
"If it wasn't so serious it's
hilarious in many ways. It's a great piece of
fiction," said the diplomat.
The lavishly illustrated articles, which
have recently delved into the
realm of romance with details of a purported
affair between Aung San Suu Kyi's
housemaid and a party cadre, have attracted a huge
following.
"It is obviously slanted and aimed at
discrediting the NLD and Aung San Suu
Kyi but it makes interesting
reading," one city dweller who has not missed one
of the nine installments
told AFP in
"It is so outlandish and spiteful, very few people take it at face value,"
a local observer said. "It is a clear
indication that the NLD and Aung San Suu
Kyi are in for more troubled times."
###
If you do not wish to receive this daily newsletters,
please reply
with your e-mail address and the
"cancel" in the text section.
With many thanks,
Euro-Burma Office
Square Gutenberg 11/2
1000
tel: 32 2 280 0691/280 2452
fax:
32 2 280 0310
e-mail:
[email protected]