Press Release in (100) Hours Hunger Strike in New Delhi, India

Press Release in (100) Hours Hunger Strike in New Delhi, India

Date: 27-3-06

Background

Widespread human rights violations in Burma have been regularly officially reported at the United Nations General Assembly for years. Forced labor, rape, torture, conscription of child soldiers, and trafficking in persons are all too prevalent. Mismanagement of the economy also has taken its toll. However the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) regime continues to promote a sham political process from which the opposition is barred -- one that prohibits free and open debate and includes only delegates hand-picked b y the military. Over 1,100 people are still detained for peacefully expressing their political views. The so-called "Roadmap" is a fraud indeed.

Regional instability

The SPDC has taken the country in a tragically different direction, causing Burma's more than 50 million people to suffer needlessly. This downward course is increasingly worrying not only to Burma's people, but to the world. Burma's neighbors have particular reason to be concerned because many of the country's growing problems are spreading beyond its borders. The military regime's draconian policies force the Burmese people to live in a state of perpetual fear, and have precipitated a steady economic and social decline, as evidenced by rising rates of inflation, infant mortality and malnutrition, and a worrisome increase in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. They have led to a steady outflow of refugees and illicit narcotics, and thwarted peace among Burma's ethnic minority populations, who face forced relocation, forced labor, and other severe human rights abuses. New Delhi can not ignore the spread of these in your states bordered with Burma, along the Indo-Burma border.

The regime's failure to address HIV/AIDS, Avian Influenza and other health problems is also troubling. How has the regime responded to these problems, which the UN has called an emerging humanitarian crisis and a threat to human security? By placing significant restrictions on NGOs and UN agencies providing much-needed humanitarian assistance. Just last year, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria terminated its Burma program citing lack of access to project sites and restrictions on its procurement of medical supplies. Meanwhile, according to its own most recent budget, the regime spends $1.10 per citizen on education and 40¢ on healthcare, compared to $400 on each soldier.

The flows of narcotics and cross-borde r migration are as worrisome as the spread of infectious diseases. There are over 140,000 refugees in Thailand; Malaysia and Bangladesh host 40,000 refugees among them; and there are an estimated 50,000 refugees in India . There are also an estimated 500,000 internally-displaced persons in the country. Burma remains the world's second largest producer of opium, and production of amphetamine-type stimulants continues to rise. These drugs are trafficked to China, Thailand, and other countries in the region. This is an overwhelming indictment of the regime, and calls out for your involvement, both for moral and strategic reasons to support democracy, not to military regime.

NLD's extraordinary offer

Recently, National League for Democracy (NLD) proposed an arrangement whereby the military regime would recognize the results of the 1990 legislative elections, but would be able to continue running the country for an interim period until new elections could be held. This proposal sends a clear message that the democratic opposition is willing to work with th e regime to ensure an orderly political transition to a more representative government while enhancing stability. We want the New Delhi to urge the Burmese regime strongly to open a dialogue with the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (NLD) and other opposition groups , in which this and other ideas for a democratic transition could be discussed.

Responsible International community

It has been historic that Burma issue was taken up by ILO and the UN Security Council. Increasingly, other governments, along with parliamentarians and the media, understand that the situation in Burma must change, and they are starting to speak out. For example, ASEAN specifically called in its December statement for the release of political prisoners and expedited democratization. The statement also conveyed ASEAN's decision to send Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid to Burma as an ASEAN envoy. Unfortunately he has failed because of SPDC's stubbornness.

Steps India should take:

Before the visit of Indian President to Burma, we wanted New Delhi to call on the regime to take some fundamental steps to begin moving the country in the right direction. These steps include to strongly urging the military regime:

The release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners,

To Initiate a credible and inclusive political process rather than the sham roadmap,

To grant access for UN representatives and lifting restrictions on UN agencies and NGOs providing humanitarian assistance.

Most up-to-date India's policy on Burma

Miserably, during his 8-10 March visit, the president of India did not say anything about the democracy and freedom for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners. It is unbelievable, but really happened, that the head of the biggest democracy in the world shook hands with military dictator for the sake of natural gas. India's offer for democratic education is the food what SPDC does not want to eat. Overlooking Aung San Suu Kyi and her people the government of India has been immorally building the solidarity with military regime of Burma.

Therefore we truthfully urge the government of India:

To take into account not only Gas but also the people who are brutally oppressed by military regime of Burma,

To strongly support UNSC to take up Burma case formally,

To look for the future good relation with the democratic government of Burma,

To stop all relations with military junta and to build the solidarity with democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and support the democracy movement so that we can trust each other.

Burmese Democracy activists in India who are on 100-hour hunger strike at Jantar Manta, Parliament Street, New Delhi starting from 11 AM, 27-3-06

Media contact:

Ngwe Toe, 981-875-3605