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Elected Representatives Form New De
- Subject: Elected Representatives Form New De
- From: ncgub@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 27 Jul 1995 11:38:00
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N A T I O N A L C O A L I T I O N G O V E R N M E N T
OF THE
U N I O N O F B U R M A
INFORMATION OFFICE
815 Fifteenth Street NW, Suite 910, Washington DC 20005
Tel: (202) 393-7342, (202) 393-4312; Fax: (202) 393-7343
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C O N V E N T I O N O F E L E C T E D R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
F R O M B U R M A H E L D I N S W E D E N
NEW DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT OF BURMA FORMED
Following the release of Burmese democracy leader and 1991 Nobel Peace
laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 10 July l995, the National Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) led by Prime Minister Dr Sein
Win convened the first ever Convention of Elected Representatives from
the liberated areas of Burma in Bommersvik, Sweden;from 16-23 July 1995.
The representatives of the people of Burma elected in the 27 May 1990
general elections met to discuss the drastically changed political
situation in Burma and to re-organize the NCGUB into a more effective
force to support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's political initiatives in
Rangoon.
The Convention supported Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's call for a genuine
political dialogue and called on the Secretary-General of the United
Nations to implement the UN General Assembly resolution which called for
him to assist in the national reconciliation process Burma. A tripartite
dialogue between the Burmese military led by SLORC; the democracy
movement led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; and Burma's ethnic leaders; was
endorsed by the elected representatives.
The Convention welcomed the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and thanked
all who worked for her release. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's return to
politics and her determination to continue working for democracy in
Burma was applauded and welcomed. The leading role played by SLORC
Chairman Senior General Than Shwe in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release was
also recognized.
To give the leadership of the democracy movement more flexibility to
deal with the rapidly changing situation, the government formed by
elected representatives in Manerplaw of 18 December 1990 was officially
dissolved by the Convention of Elected Representatives on 21July 1995 in
Bommersvik. The Convention unanimously re-elected Dr Sein Win by secret
ballot to head the new government.
The new government re-affirmed its commitment to the establishment of a
multi-party parliamentary democracy within the framework of a genuine
federal union. The broad based support of the new coalition government
is reflected in the make up of the cabinet.
Prime Minister: Dr Sein Win PND
Foreign Affairs Dr Sein Win "
Finance: Bo Hla Tint NLD
Prime Minister's Office: Teddy Buri NLD
Information: Maung M Aye NLD
Federal Affairs: Marko Ban DOKNU
Justice: Thein Oo NLD
Health & Education: Sann Aung Ind
Prime Minister's Office: Tint Swe NLD
Social Welfare & Development: Zahlethang CNLD
Labour Minister: Tha Noe ALD
The elected representatives were joined in their deliberations by
representatives from the National Council of the Union of Burma, leaders
of the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area), the United
Nationalities League for Democracy, the All Burma Students' Democratic
Front,the Federation of Trade Unions - Burma, and NCGUB representatives.
The Convention was hosted by the Stockholm-based Olof Palme
International Centre and the Norwegian Burma Council in Bommersvik, the
training centre of the Social Democratic Youth of Sweden.
Note:
Teddy Buri is an elected representative from Karenni State
Marko Ban is an elected representative from Shan State
Zahlethang is an elected representative from Chin State
Tha Noe is an elected representative from Arakan State
ALD = Arakan League for Democracy
CNLD = Chin National League for Democracy
DOKNU = Democratic Organization for Kayan National Unity
NLD = National League for Democracy
PND = Party for National Democracy
Ind = Independent
oo0oo
BOMMERSVIK DECLARATION
of the
CONVENTION OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE UNION OF BURMA
16-23 July 1995
Bommersvik
Sweden
We, the representatives of the people of Burma, elected in the 27 May 1990
general elections, meeting at the First Convention of Elected Representatives
from the liberated areas of Burma, hereby -
Warmly welcome the unconditional release of 1991 Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi on 10 July 1995;
Thank all who have worked tirelessly and consistently for the release of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and the cause of democracy in Burma;
Applaud Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's determination, in spite of having spent six
years under house arrest, to continue to work to bring true democracy to
Burma;
Recognize the courage and leadership of Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman of
the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), in initiating the release
of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi;
Welcome Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's return to politics to take up the mantle of her
father, General Aung San, in Burma's second struggle for independence;
Affirm that the forces of democracy in Burma remain strong and dedicated to
serve the people;
Re-affirm our determination to implement the principle that the will of the
people shall be the basis of the authority of government as declared in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Re-affirm our commitment to the establishment of a multi-party parliamentary
democracy within the framework of a genuine federal union;
Fully agree with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that in order to bring about peace, have
stability and rebuild the nation, there is an urgent need for genuine
political dialogue and negotiations between the Burmese military led by SLORC;
the democracy movement led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; and Burma's ethnic
leaders;
Believe that bitter enemies can work together for the betterment of their
people as expressed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and as can be witnessed today in
South Africa;
Encourage the people of Burma to respond to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's appeal for
support by continuing to work fearlessly for a genuine democracy;
Call on the people to exercise restraint and refrain from acts of unnecessary
violence;
However, note with great concern that:
- To date,SLORC has not responded to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi offer of a dialogue,
- SLORC has broken its cease-fire with the Karenni National Progressive Party,
-SLORC is pursuing a policy of armed confrontation with Burma's ethnic
peoples,
-Gross human rights violations such as forced labour are still being
perpetuated,
-SLORC's National Convention to give the military a political role is still in
progress,
-SLORC has not lifted its laws restricting fundamental rights of the people,
-Other political prisoners have not been released, and
-International agencies are still being denied access to monitor the situation
Join Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in expressing our disappointment with Japan for
immediately renewing Official Development Assistance to SLORC without first
ensuring that the military will engage in a substantive political dialogue
with its opponents.
Fully agree with Daw Aung San Sun Kyi that foreign governments should not
restore full diplomatic and trade ties with Burma until there is a transition
to democracy;
Strongly urge governments contemplating improving relations with SLORC to
refrain. Improved relations will only embolden SLORC to continue to ignore Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi's offer for a dialogue. Instead, they should work direcfly
with her and her associates and colleagues to improve the situation in Burma;
Call on international financial institutions such as the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank to refrain from
resuming loans and grants until there is a transition to democracy;
Fully support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's position that Burma needs foreign
investments in the long term but that foreign firms should not invest in Burma
for the time being;
Call on Total, Unocal, Texaco, Nippon Oil, Premier, and other oil and gas
companies to suspend their operations in Burma pending a more stable political
climate;
Strongly urge all companies already invested in Burma to pull out from Burma
if their workers are not allowed by SLORC to organize independent trade
unions;
Strongly urge nations that wish to see SLORC engage in a substantive and
meaningful political dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, to enact economic
sanctions to force SLORC to accept a negotiated political settlement;
Encourage individuals and organizations to express their opposition to SLORC
by continuing to boycott products and companies investing or doing business in
Burma;
Further encourage individuals, clubs, organizations, unions, universities,
town, cities, and states, to boycott products from Burma and companies doing
business in Burma;
Call on the US government and other concerned international agencies to not
renew 'drug eradication' assistance to SLORC in any form until a political
solution to Burma's problems can be found;
Call on all Burma's neighbours and the international community as a whole to
impose an embargo on arms and war supplies to SLORC;
Call on international agencies and non-government organizations to not
increase humanitarian assistance to Burma until substantial progress is made
towards a transition to democracy. Under SLORC's current restrictions on NGOs
and international agencies, no assistance to the people of Burma can be
delivered without indirectly supporting SLORC's repressive policies;
Call on tourists not to support "Visit Myanmar Year - 1996" which is causing
great hardship to the people of Burma. Forced relocations, forced labour and a
disruption of essential services are direct by-products of SLORC's
beautification program in anticipation of tourists;
Call on the Association of South East Asian nations (ASEAN) not to accept
Burma as a member at this time. Instead, we would like to see regional
organizations such as ASEAN, coordinate their efforts with the United Nations
to find a political solution to Burma's problems;
Urgently urge the Secretary-General of the United Nations to fully implement
the December 1994 resolution of General Assembly which calls for the
Secretary-General to assist in the national reconciliation process; and
finally, we -
Call on SLORC to implement the following to facilitate political dialogue and
negotiations in the interest of national reconciliation:
-Respond officially to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi offer of a dialogue,
-Declare a nation-wide cease-fire,
-Cease all human rights violations including forced labour and portering,
-Abolish the current National Convention,
-Lift all laws restricting the fundamental rights of the people,
-Immediately and unconditionally release all other political prisoners,
-Officially establish a political dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and
-Allow international agencies free access to monitor the situation.
Until such time as these above reqiurements are met, nothing will have changed
in Burma except for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
We, hereby, call on all patriotic forces inside and outside Burma, whether
they have signed cease-fire agreements with SLORC, are in the process of
negotiating cease-fires with SLORC, or are continuing to resist SLORC, to
unite and redouble their efforts to end militarism in Burma and to re-build a
truly democratic and civil open society.
Free the People of Burma!