Valkenburg, Netherlands, 06 September, (Asiantribune.com): Ignoring stiff opposition from the democracy-loving people of Myanmar, the European Union has allowed the military junta in Yangoon to attend an upcoming Summit conference in Hanoi, Vietnam.
European Union foreign Ministers on Friday decided in favour of the Junta representatives attending the October Summit with ASEAN that was being jeopardized by concerns about human rights in military-ruled Myanmar, Danish Foreign Minister PerStig Moeller said.
According to Moeller, Myanmar's junta will be represented at foreign Minister level in the ASEM 5.
The EU decision seems to clearly ignore the legitimate aspiration of the freedom and democracy-loving people of Myanmar and the demands of the Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP)...
Myanmar's Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP) was elected in the 1990 General Election. Founded by the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), it is planning to hold a ceremony at the NLD headquarters on 16 September 2004 to mark its sixth anniversary. Despite oppressions and discriminations by Burma's military junta, the committee has recently accepted a new member and expanded the committee's strength.
The new representative member is U Yang Kyin Maw, a Member of Parliament from Shan State Kokang Democratic Party. He was accepted during a regular meeting on 13 August in Yangoon.
The 18-member CRPP, an alliance comprising the National League for Democracy (NLD), the Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD), the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), the Zomi National Congress (ZNC), the Shan State Kokang Democratic Party (SKDP) and the individual elected representatives, was unilaterally formed by the NLD on September 16, 1998 with NLD chairman U Aung Shwe as Chairman and U Aye Thar Aung as Secretary.
The CRPP intends to resolve political, economic and social questions of Burma before the emergence of a parliament. The emergence of a Parliament is a life-and-death problem of the country. The Members of Parliament who were elected in 1990 election have not only the political but also legal duty for the emergence of a parliament whatever hardship and hindrances there are.
The military junta has made a promise in its 1/90 Declaration to take responsibility of sponsoring a parliament. Therefore, it is the job of the junta to call a parliament honouring the result of the 1990 elections.
If it could not implement its own promise, the junta will be cursed by the history.
When the CRPP emerged in September 1998, the junta was completely Shocked and numbed, and finally it used to follow the old practice launching a Manhunt. Over six hundred members of the NLD including representatives-elect who supported the emergence of the committee were arrested or detained during that 1998 September manhunt.
Nevertheless, more than 250 representatives-elect have already submitted their mandate to the CRPP. According to the committee's political stand, the seven-step road map and ongoing national convention by the military junta is its determination to shape unilaterally the country's future according to its own will and wishes. To repeat the process of holding next election on the same pattern of the 1990 elections, which it initiated and failed to implement, will not be accepted by the people under any circumstances.
The junta's policy is not one that points to national reconciliation. It does not embody human rights, national reconciliation and fundamental rights for all citizens and nationalities.
If the junta genuinely desires national reconciliation, national unity, the good of the country and its citizens and desires to establish an authentic and unadulterated Union of Burma it must start unconditionally and immediately release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo and all political prisoners, the CRPP pronounces.
The CRPP also states to reopen the NLD offices throughout the country and suggests to permit all political parties to function freely as well as allowing all citizens freedom from fear to act and participate in political activities.
The committee also urges the generals to enter into substantive dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and leaders of the nationalities to achieve national reconciliation and mutual understanding so that a genuine democratic federal state can be born.
Meanwhile, on 17 August 2004, a statement was issued by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It says,'' as a first step towards democratization and national reconciliation, the Secretary-General calls on the SPDC to make full use of the National Convention's adjournment by immediately releasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and engaging the NLD and other political parties in substantive dialogue on how they can work together for the benefit of the people of Myanmar (Burma).''
The UN's statement was welcomed and supported unanimously by all nationalities inside and outside Burma. It also reflects the political attitude of the Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP).
The statement highlights Kofi Annan's expectation to the countries of the region, including ASEAN member States, to take a leading role in actively counseling the Burma's military regime to accelerate the process of democratization and national reconciliation.
If ASEAN as well as China and Japan do not support democratic reforms in Burma, the military ruled country would become a serious regional threat involving, drugs, human trafficking, prostitution, HIV/AIDS, refugee and mass migration etc. Before the Junta embarrasses the region, the ASEAN should review its policy on Burma and disqualify the junta from chairing the regional bloc in 2006, as it fails to implement National Reconciliation and political reforms.
The European Union also has responsibility to give clear message that it will exert pressure on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to exclude the Burma's military junta from the ASEM Summit in October in Hanoi, Vietnam.
In brief, the CRPP has to hold a ceremony at the NLD headquarters on 16 September 2004 marking its sixth anniversary wherein it will have to declare its own road map or policy towards a promising National Reconciliation.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union should listen to the voice of CRPP which gets mandate of over 250 Members of Parliament to resolve the current political deadlock in Myanmar.
The two regional blocs ought to remember that the Junta had earlier promised the ASEAN that Aung San Suu Kyi would be released before the resumption of the National Convention. But, as usual, it has failed to keep its own word And the Nobel Laureate is still under detention since 30 May 2003.
As a matter of principle, The 25-Member EU bloc has agreed to tighten sanctions on Myanmar, extending a visa ban on senior military officers and barring European firms from making new investments in the country’s state-owned enterprises.
In one word, the EU ought to be on firm ground engaging with the ASEAN in solving Burma question. If world leaders underestimate the Nazi of Burma and slacken their grip, it would be tantamount to appeasement towards a Hitler of Burma.
- Asian Tribune -
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