PETITION THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

/* Written May 29 6:00am 1995 by uneoo@ in igc:reg.burma */
/* -------------" Petition the U.N. Security Council "------------ */

We launched a petition campaign in Adelaide for a greater respect for 
human rights in Burma. We are approaching solidarity groups, individuals 
and church groups to help us in getting signatures from people. Any 
groups within Australia who wish to obtain campaign materials could tell 
us, we'll send to you the petition sheets. Or, one could just download 
following material. Regards, U Ne Oo.

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        #                                                          #
        #       PETITION THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL       #
        #  TO PROMOTE A GREATER RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA  #
        #                                                          #
        ############################################################

   ORGANIZATION:_______________________________________   DATED:__________

   ADDRESS     :_______________________________________

   Concerned with the continuing human rights abuses and lack of pragress
   towards democracy in Burma (Myanmar), we, the undersigned, call upon
   the Secretary-General of United Nations and United Nations Security
   Council to:

     * ensure the unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the
       1991  Nobel  Peace  Laureate  and  a  prisoner of conscience for six
       years;

     * implement the cease-fire and peace settlements between the ethnic
       minorities and Burmese army;

     * impose the international arms embargo on Burma.

       NAME                ADDRESS                       SIGNATURE
       """"                """""""                       """""""""

   1. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   2. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   3. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   4. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   5. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   6. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   7. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   8. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   9. __________________   ____________________________  __________________


   10.__________________   ____________________________  __________________

   Please return these forms to Burma Action(South Australia),  c/o  ADJPC,
   G.P.O. Box 2602, Adelaide SA 5001. The petitions will be sent to the
   Secretary General of the United Nations, United Nations New York 10017,
   United States of America, immediately upon completion. This campaign runs
   until 20th of July 1995. For detailed information, please see overleaf.

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        BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN BURMA
        ---------------------------------------------------------
   Burma (sometime called  Myanmar) has a population of 43 million with
   a complex mix of a Burman majority and ethnic minorities. The whole
   country has been under a military dictatorship of one form or another
   since  1962.  After  the  brutal  crackdown on a nationwide prodemocracy
   movement in 1988, Burma's military authorities promised a free  election
   and  transfer of power to civilian government.
        The  promised  election  was held in 27 May 1990 and the Opposition
   party, National League for Democracy (NLD), won 80per cent of the seats.
   The military then refused to transfer power and said that the representa
   -tives were elected not to govern, but to draw up a new constitution. This
   announcement by military authorities was followed by series of crackdown
   on political dissent on population, including the elected representatives.
   Many ordinary people who voiced their dissent to government were
   dismissed or demoted from their jobs or jailed. Up until now, there has
   been no sign of transfer of power to the elected civilian government by
   the military authorities.

   Detention of  Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
   -------------------------------------------------------
   Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the founder and leader of National League for
   Democracy, been under house arrest since July 20, 1989. The National
   League for Democracy decisively won the May 1990 election despite the
   detention of its leader. Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace
   Prize in 1991 for her non-violent opposition to the ruling military
   junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).

   Cease-fire and peace settlements
   --------------------------------
   Burma has a complex mix of indigenous nationalities, though the majority
   is Burman. The ethnic minorities have been waging war against the central
   government since 1948 for greater autonomy from majority Burmans. The
   representatives elected at the May 1990 election, fled to ethnic minority
   areas and with the support of ethnic minority rebels have promoted a
   future Federal Union for Burma as a solution.
        The military government rejected the solution of a federal union
   for Burma and the ethnic rebels were coerced to sign peace deals without
   any compromise made on the political issues. The ethnic rebels who insisted
   on political settlement with central government had been suppressed: the
   Karen National Union, for example, have been driven out from their
   headquarters in January 1995. This resulted in a further outflow of 10,000
   refugees into Thailand. In April, incursions by Burmese government troops
   onto Thai soil to attack Karen refugees have been reported. There is a major
   concern about potential destabilization between the two governments and
   the region. This warrants an international action to initiate a peaceful
   settlement of conflicts within Burma.

   The international arms embargo
   ------------------------------
   The present military junta spend 35% of national budget on maintaining the
   army and build-up of arms. In 1991, the military government purchased US$
   1.2 billion worth of arms from China. The government reportedly paid its
   debt to China with primary products like rice, peas, beans and logs. This
   has caused further stress on the rural population, which is currently
   reported to be in a state of extreme poverty. Burma's GDP per capita is
   $650 and its Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.406. This extent of poverty
   can be compared with Vietnam (GDP/capita= $1250, HDI=0.514) and Thailand
   (GDP/capita= $5270, HDI = 0.798). The continuing decline on human security
   warrants an international action, such as international arms embargo.

   For further informations, please contact Dr U Ne Oo, 48/2 Ayliffes RD,
   ST MARYS 5042.

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