FOREIGN NATIONS NOT IN
ASEAN                                               The Alternative ASEAN Declaration on
                                                        Burma also calls upon the member
Absolutely not. The Alternative                   governments of ASEAN and the
ASEAN Declaration on Burma, which           international community to discard the
was                                                   policy
finalized in October has been endorsed           of "constructive engagement" which has
by 227 organisations and individuals             brought untold injustice and
from existing ASEAN member states,             suffering upon the peoples of Burma.
including 16 Members of Parliament
and                                                   It is extremely ironic that ASEAN
several former Members of Parliament.           activists are being lumped in with
                                                        "western governments" on the issue of
The Alternative ASEAN Declaration on         Slorc's membership of ASEAN. It is a
Burma opposes ASEAN membership for         poor reflection on ASEAN member
the                                                     states that they have failed took take the
Slorc on the grounds that:                         initiative on Burma and instead resort to
                                                        irrational and sometimes
*       The SLORC is not the legitimate           contradictory statements to justify their
government of that country                       lack of vision on this matter.

*       ASEAN membership would               Myth # 3: IT IS AN INTERNAL
provide the SLORC with a de facto               AFFAIR
license to
continue its attacks on the peoples of             The usual line trundled out when all
Burma, and                                           else fails. Sometimes used in tandem
                                                        with "it is up to the people to decide
*       The SLORC's activities are a               their fate". This is a pronouncement
direct contradiction to the aims and               verging on obscene, when it is obvious
objectives of ASEAN                               that the people of Burma DID decided

their fate in May 1990. Despite pressure         Slorc military have committed
and obstructions by the SLORC,                   murder, abductions, robberies, assault
they voted overwhelmingly for the               and property damage in neighboring
National League for Democracy, led             countries. It has shown a blatant
under                                                 disregard for the sovereignty and
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under         security.
house arrest at the time. The NLD won
82% of the seats and more significantly,         The unabating HIV/AIDS epidemic in
over 90% of the vote - a fantasy                   Burma, helped by the Slorc's
for most politicians in the free world.             irresponsibility in not providing
                                                        adequate public health services
What ASEAN is doing is in fact,                   (awareness, prevention and care
meddling in the internal affairs of                 programs) not to forget its apparent
Burma,                                               direct
by giving legitimacy to a clearly                   involvement in the production of drugs,
illegitimate regime, while relegating             poses a long-term security threat to
human rights violations, which are the           this region. The human and economic
concern of all human beings, to the               cost to Burma and the rest of the
confines of a "domestic" matter.                   region should be a cause for great
                                                        concern to us all.
MYTH #4: IT IS IN THE INTERESTS
OF REGIONAL SECURITY                       MYTH # 5: IF NOT FOR THE SLORC,
                                                        BURMA WOULD COLLAPSE INTO
It would appear that the threat to                 ETHNIC CONFLICTS
regional security and stability is the
Slorc itself. It has persisted in violating         A line often used by our leaders to
the borders of its neighbours,                     introduce some humor into the debate.
and on several documented instances,           The Slorc has the main responsibility for
crossed borders to pursue and attack             ethnic conflicts and tensions
the security forces of another country.           taking place in Burma. It has been in its

interest to perpetuate a                             one that will continually collapse
situation of "divide and rule".                     into armed conflict, death and refugees.
                                                        The growing cooperation between
The attacks on ethnic nationality groups,         Suu Kyi and ethnic nationality leaders
including the current offensive                   offers the only peaceful alternative
against the Karen people, are not being           to this situation.
perpetuated by the NLD. It is the
Slorc which is committing murder, rape,         MYTH # 6: ASEAN IS A TRADING
looting, abductions and torture                   BLOC, THEREFORE "POLITICS" IS
against ethnic groups. It is the Slorc             NOT ITS CONCERN
which is denying ethnic people
access to their civil, political, economic,           If this is the case, ASEAN would not
social and cultural rights.                           have involved itself in efforts to
                                                        resolve the crisis in Cambodia or the
The hope for harmony lies in a                     conflict in Mindanao. The ASEAN
government committed to justice,                 charter does make reference to the
human rights                                         well-being of the people of the region,
and democracy. This is why ethnic               as well as the matter of regional
groups are increasingly making their             stability.
support for the democracy movement
led by Aung San Suu Kyi known.                 ASEAN does involve itself in matters
                                                        "political" because it realizes that
The Mae Tha Raw Hta Statement, made         trade and investment is dependent on
by ethnic nationality leaders at a                 political stability. What it needs to
conference in January, calls for tripartite         recognize is that political stability is
dialogue and expresses support                   based on justice and respect for
for the democracy movement led by             human rights. Political stability is not a
Aung San Suu Kyi. The "stability"               matter of forceful containment
molded                                               of dissent.
by Slorc military force and coercion is

conclude, from the rampant abuses by
the                                                     *******************************
Slorc in the past year, that even that
regime views "constructive                         UN HUMAN RIGHTS BRIEFING -
engagement" with contempt.                       REFUGEE UPDATE
                                                        April 8, 1997
The first step in this process is to                 From: darnott@iprolink.ch (David
facilitate tripartite dialogue between             Arnott)
the Slorc, the democracy forces led by
Suu Kyi, and the ethnic                             The following is an update circulated at
nationalities. ASEAN should be taking         the Briefing on Human Rights in
the lead in providing strong                       Burma, at the UN Human Rights
encouragement to the Slorc to agree to           Commission in Geneva.
this process. The National
Convention is an inadequate arena for           SLORC Offensives and Forced
such dialogue, particularly since the             Relocations Lead to Human Rights
non-Slorc key players have been                   Crisis on the
maneuvered out of the process. If                 Thai/Burmese Border
ASEAN                                               April 8, 1997
fails to take this up, it is conceding
international leadership on this                   A humanitarian and human rights crisis
issue to its Northern (or Western)                 now exists along the hai/Burmese
counterparts.                                         border. In an attempt to solidify its hold
                                                        over the civilian population and
It is up to ASEAN's leadership to realize         territory, the ruling Burmese military
that unconditional support for the                 regime, the State Law and Order
Slorc motivated by investment interests         Restoration Council (SLORC), launched
will not just hurt the peoples of                   a major offensive against the Karen
Burma - the long-term costs will hurt us         National Union (KNU) and the civilian
and our governments.                               populations in the region in February

1997. Similiarly, SLORC is also                   "illegal economic migrants" though most
continuing its massive forced relocation         have fled because of the massive
campaigns in Karenni and Shan areas.           forced relocation and forced labor
In all these areas (see map on reverse             campaigns in Burma. This brings the
side), systematic human rights abuses           total number of dislocated Burmese
prevail, including summary executions,         people inside Thailand to at least
torture, rape, arbitrary detention, forced         450,000 people. Added to those who
porterage and forced labor, and                   have been able to reach Thailand--who
the burning and looting of villages.               are the fortunate ones--are the hundreds
                                                        of thousands of internally
Because of the SLORC campaigns and           displaced persons inside Burma. It is
the resulting human rights abuses,               estimated that for every person that
hundreds of thousands of people have           has reached Thailand, there is at least
been forced to live in relocations                 one still inside Burma who would
sites, are internally diplaced or, if they           flee if they were able. SLORC now
are fortunate, have fled to                         controls almost the entire border with
Thailand. Exact numbers are difficult to         Thailand and has blocked the
nail down, but estimates can be                   evacuation routes of thousands who
made. There are now 120,000 people             wish to
living in refugee camps just inside the           flee. Thousands of villagers are still
Thai border; 20,000 people have arrived         scattered in the jungles along the
in the past two months because of                 border with inadequate food and water
the offensive against the KNU. In                 supplies, poor shelter and no access
addition, approximately 40,000 Shan             to medicine. Thousands of others have
people have reached Thailand fleeing           given up trying to reach Thailand and
the forced relocations, but they have             have gone to the ordered forced
not been permitted to establish refugee           relocations sites which have similiarly
camps. Another 300,000 Burmese from           poor conditions.
various ethnic groups have also come to
Thailand and have been labelled                 Adding insult to injury, SLORC and

SLORC-supported forces now terrorize
the                                                     This crisis along the Thai/Burmese
refugees just inside the Thai border--             border calls for international
threatening to burn down their homes           humanitarian assistance to help those in
and force them to return to Burma.               need of immediate food and
Indeed, in January, two refugee camps           supplies. In addition, the security of the
were burnt to the ground, leaving more         refugees should be improved by
than 10,000 people homeless. Several             moving the camps further inside
other camps have been attacked this             Thailand. Finally, the international
year as well, leaving the refugees all             community should do all it can to
along the border frightened and                   pressure the SLORC regime to stop its
vulnerable.                                           campaign of force against its own
                                                        civilian populations and the political
Making the situation worse has been the         opposition groups in the country.
change in Thai policy toward these
refugees. In the area around                       **************************************
Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi, the Thai
9th Army                                             WORLDVIEW INTERNATIONAL
Division has forcibly repatriated several         FOUNDATION
groups of refugees on a few                       April 10, 1997
occasions, including forcing boys as             From: darnott@gn.apc.org
young as ten years old back into an
active war zone. These repatriations             United Nations Commission on Human
and the recent announcement by the             Rights
Thai National Security Council that all           Agenda Item (10)
the refugees will be sent back to                   Oral Intervention of David Taw*
Burma as soon as the situation is                 April 10, 1997
"peaceful and safe" has raised fears even
further among the refugees who have           Mr. Chairman.
already suffered enormously.

A humanitarian and human rights crisis         but estimates can be made. There are
now exists along the Thai/Burmese               now 120,000 people living in refugee
border. In an attempt to solidify its hold         camps just inside the Thai border; 20,000
over the civilian population and                   people have arrived in the past
territory, the ruling Burmese military             two months because of the current
regime, SLORC the State Law and Order         offensive against the KNU. In addition,
Restoration Council, launched a major           approximately 40,000 Shan people have
offensive against the KNU Karen                 reached Thailand fleeing the forced
National Union and the civilian                   relocations, but they have not been
populations in the region in February             permitted to establish refugee camps.
1997.                                                   Another 300,000 Burmese from various
SLORC is also continuing its massive             ethnic groups have also come to
forced                                                 Thailand and have been labeled "illegal
relocation campaigns in Karenni and             economic migrants" though most have
Shan areas. In All these areas (see                 fled because of the massive forced
attached map), systematic human rights         relocation and forced labor campaigns
abuses prevail, including summary               of the Burmese army. The total number
executions, torture, rape, arbitrary               of dislocated Burmese inside Thailand is
detention, forced porterage and forced           at least 450,000 people. Added to those
labor, and the burning and looting of             who have been able to reach
villages.                                               Thailand--who are the lucky ones--are
                                                        the hundreds of thousands of
Because of the SLORC campaigns and           internally displaced persons inside
the resulting human rights abuses,               Burma near the border. It is estimated
hundreds of thousands of people have           that for every person that has reached
been forced to live in relocation                   Thailand, there is at least one still
sites, are internally displaced or, if they         inside Burma who would flee if they
are fortunate, have been able to                   were able.
flee and seek refuge in Thailand. Exact           SLORC now controls almost the entire
numbers are difficult to nail down,               border with Thailand and has blocked

statement, His Excellency U Aye,                 representative of the 1990 general
Ambassador Extraordinary and                   election
Plenipotentiary, Permanent                       from the Paukkhaung constituency in
Representative of Myanmar to the               Burma. First of all, I am disappointed
United Nations                                       to know that the Special Rapporteur on
in Geneva, along with his deputy, rather         Burma has not been allowed to visit
conspicuously walked out.                         Burma to perform his mandate given by
                                                        the 52nd Session of the UN Commission
**********************************************         on Human Rights. SLORC's failure to
**                                                       comply with
                                                        the terms of successive UN resolutions
DR SEIN WIN TO COMMISSION ON           and its denial to allow the Special
HUMAN RIGHTS                                   Rapporteur and the Envoy of the UN
April 9, 1997                                         Secretary- General to visit Burma are
From: David Arnott                                 clear violations of articles 55 and 56 of
<darnott@igc.apc.org>                             the UN Charter in which member
                                                        states "pledge themselves to take joint
            INTERNATIONAL PEACE           and separate action" to "promote
BUREAU                                             universal respect for, and observance of,
                                                        human rights and fundamental
Commission on Human Rights                   freedoms for all."
53rd Session
Agenda Item (10)                                   At every UN session, SLORC authorities
                                                        appear to be very defensive about the
April 9, 1997                                         resolutions on Burma and the Special
                                                        Rapporteur's reports on the situation
        Oral Intervention made by Dr.           of human rights in our country. SLORC
Sein Win                                             mistakenly claims that the right of
                                                        non- interference in the internal affairs
I am Dr. Sein Win, an elected                     of a sovereign state is

paramount to all other articles in the UN         express their will, SLORC has
Charter. In our view, national                     resorted to violent suppression,
sovereignty must descend from the               arbitrary arrests, unfair trials and harsh
people; sovereignty should not be used         prison sentences. While SLORC is able
as                                                     to reconcile with drug traffickers,
a veil to hide human rights abuses.               even trying to make them into respected
                                                        leaders of some ethnic groups and
Instead of cooperating with the UN,             legitimate businesses, democratically
improving the human rights situation           elected representatives are being
and                                                   treated like criminals.
opening the country to human rights
monitoring, SLORC has chosen a                 Since May, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has
different                                               again been put under virtual house
path. Its total denial to all human rights         arrest. Her freedom of travel is severely
violations and its closed door                     restricted. SLORC has forbidden
policy to UN human rights monitoring           the weekend rallies in front of her home,
are not the acts of a responsible                   the only place she could
member of the UN that adheres to the           communicate directly with the people.
principles of the rule of                             Even worse, on November 9th of last
law.                                                   year, she was physically attacked by a
                                                        group of about 200 young men
The situation of human rights in Burma         from the Union Solidarity and
is moving from bad to worse. The               Development Association (USDA),
rights of the people, especially elected           a SLORC-organized youth group.
representatives and supporters of
the National League for Democracy, to           This is SLORC-orchestrated, state-
freely participate in the political                   sanctioned terrorism. We continue to be
process have been severely restricted by         seriously concerned about the personal
unjust laws and orders. In response               security of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
to the efforts of the people to freely               because Win Sein, the Minister of

Railways and Transportation, told               originally enacted to
members                                             limit the travels of ex-criminals.
of the USDA that Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi should be killed.                                 There are many other restrictions on
                                                        NLD activities. Many NLD branches
Now SLORC is also putting much               have been forced to take down their
more pressure on elected Members   of           party sign boards. Also, landlords have
Parliament (MPs) to resign from their             been forced not to rent office space for
posts. SLORC has ntimidated, harassed         the NLD. And when NLD members
and arrested many MPs and their                 want
families as well as used economic                 to meet, they must request permission
coercion                                               from the local authorities. Permission
to try to force their resignations.                   rarely follows.

In addition, under the restrictive                 The NLD also tried to organize a
measures imposed in the country,                 meeting of elected MPs and party
lawyers and medical doctors involved           members
in the democracy movement are finding         in May and again in September. In
it increasingly difficult to practice their           May, around 200 MPs and supporters
professions.                                           were
                                                        detained in intelligence buildings to
Restrictions have also been imposed on         prevent them from congregating in
the travel of NLD Mps and members.             Rangoon, and in September, around 600
They are confined to their respective             suffered the same fate. When student
townships unless they receive prior               demonstrations broke out in December,
permission from their local authorities           SLORC accused the NLD of inciting the
to leave. Some MPs who have                     demonstrations and arrested more NLD
traveled without permission have been           members. They released the majority,
arrested and sentenced under the 1961           but there remain approximately 100
Restrictions and Bond Act which was             members and 24 MPs in detention. We

are greatly disturbed to see continued
cases of death in custody due to torture           In the light of the deteriorating
and lack of food and medical care.               situation in Burma, I would like to
Two elected Mps, Tin Maung Win from         recommend that the Commission:
the Khayan constituency and U Hla
Than                                                   1) extend the mandate of the Special
from the Coco Island constituency, have         Rapporteur for another year;
died in prison since 1990.                           and (2) pass a resolution on Burma that
                                                        reflects theappalling human rights
The purpose of arresting, torturing and         situation in Burma.
allowing MPs to die is to
undermine and nullify the 1990 election           Thank you.
results. Of the 392 elected NLD
MPs, 68 were disqualified by the                 *******************************
Election Commission for no valid
reason, 39
have been forced to resign, 24 remain in
detention and two have died in prison.

As the Special Rapporteur pointed out,
the lack of rights pertaining to
democratic governance is the root cause
of major violations of human rights
in Burma. The remedy for improving
the human rights situation is to have a
substantive triparte dialogue at the
earliest possible date among all
concerned parties. It is the will of the
Burmese people to seek national
reconciliation through dialogue.