Dear Friends & Colleagues,

The past weeks have seen a surge of support for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, perhaps most notably from leaders and citizens of ASEAN countries.   The trial has been adjourned after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyers appealed the barring of her witnesses. At this time we ask the international community to follow up on its recent valuable rhetoric with action:

The UN
•    As the world has acknowledged the crimes of the junta so should it remove the tools for those crimes with a global arms embargo. Countries such as Russia, China, Ukraine and Israel must be pressured by their fellow UN members to stop selling arms to the military dictatorship in Burma.
•    The UN Security Council should set up a commission of inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity and war crimes. UN reports for many years have indicated the ongoing, widespread and systematic grave human rights violations, including rape, forced labour, internal displacement, and forced recruitment of child soldiers.
•    Secretary General Ban Ki-moon must take active initiative at the UN Security Council and act to co-ordinate a collective strategic action plan to bring about genuine national reconciliation in Burma.

The US & EU

• Both should immediately send envoys to Burma.

•    Both should maintain and strengthen targeted sanctions. With particular emphasis on a ban on insuring companies that do business in Burma. Along with monitored curbs on lucrative Burmese exports, an expanded programme of visa restrictions and asset freezes. Companies such as TOTAL and Chevron should be made to cease their support of the military junta.

• The EU should develop a more unified policy approach towards Burma.

ASEAN

• ASEAN must appoint and immediately send an envoy to Burma.
• ASEAN must take the Burmese regime’s violations of its charter on human rights and the rule of law seriously.

•    ASEAN must take firmer action on the regime. This pressure is vital to show that Burma is a regional issue and as a member nation of the regional bloc, it must abide by the Charter ratified.

China & India

•    China and India must take greater responsibility for their neighbour and as major investors must pressure the junta towards democracy and stable, accountable governance. As emerging super powers their image and credibility can be enhanced greatly by heeding the call of all nations concerned with human rights in Burma.   The release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma is the first essential step toward national reconciliation in Burma. As Aung Moe Zaw, Chairman of the Democratic Party for a New Society, has recently said in Irrawaddy the current predicament is partly as a result of the  international community giving concessions to the junta before any real progress towards democracy has been made. The international community must stand united in Burma’s struggle for democracy and freedom. International pressure must not cease till real progress is made.

In solidarity,

Burma Partnership Secretariat