AN APPEAL TO THE BURMESE PEOPLE(ABF

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Subject: AN APPEAL TO THE BURMESE PEOPLE(ABFSU)

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              ALL BURMA FEDERATION OF STUDENT UNIONS(ABFSU)
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                     AN APPEAL TO THE BURMESE PEOPLE
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As the entire populations merrily welcome the release, without
any condition, of popular leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the All Burma
Federation of student Unions (ABFSU) would like to extend our
heartfelt congratulation to our popular leader and to the
jubilant population.

The ABFSU have consistently demanded for the release of Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and all political leaders, to begin a negotiation
where all those responsible and interested parties would be able
to participate and find out a peaceful solution to various
problems the entire nation is encountering.

Today the general political situation of our nation is undergoing
a very delicate and grave circumstance.

The entire population of all nationalities had been deprived of
their democratic and human rights; national unity and peace had
collapsed. Consequently national economy had crumbled bringing
our nation into the abyss of poverty.

In order to find a Way out from the quagmire of multiple problems
and the general crisis, we believe that the democratic
organizations led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi all nationality
groups who had been resorting to armed struggle and the Slorc
have to set up a climate of mutual respect and begin the dialogue
keeping in their mind the achievement of democracy, peace and
development as the basic principle.

All are responsible for inauguration of such a tripartite
negotiation. All responsible parties should to be honest, patient
and perseverance. Particularly, the Slorc has to realize that it
is the most responsible party of all.

In the face of the present situation, if the Slorc really wishes,
with genuine compassion and honesty to achieve democracy, unity,
peace and development, they should immediately implement the
following:

(1) Release the student leader Min Ko Naing and all political     
    activists,
(2) To immediately declare the agenda of the negotiation for      
    solving the multiple problems
(3) To suspend the National Convention organized by the Slorc,
(4) To execute a nationwide cease fire, directly or indirectly,
(5) To abrogate all decrees, notifications and declarations that  
    prohibit and restrict            
     democratic rights,
(6) To allow the political parties, associations and unions to    
    organize and operate freely, 
(7) To acknowledge the freedom of publication of news papers,     
    journals and magazines,
(8) To permit the international organization and news agencies to 
    monitor and report the events in Burma.

These are the aspirations of all citizens of Burma. Implementing
these would be an apparent proof of genuine patriotism and is the
only way to lead to national reconciliation. Only then, we
believe, we would be able to establish our country to be a
peaceful and developing nation.

If the Slorc decided to ignored their responsibility to implement
the above mentioned tasks and resort to suppression, arbitrary
arrests, intimidation and violence, and continue the long
standing civil war, and proceed with the national convention for
which public opinion had never been counted, the Slorc would be
responsible for all the consequences that resulted from its
insincerity.

Hence the ABFSU would like to urge the students and the entire
population to work together for the commencement of a tripartite
negotiation that would be the first step to establish a genuine
democratic system in Burma, national reconciliation, and the
establishment of a peaceful and developed nation.


Central Organization Committee,
ALL BURMA FEDERATION OF STUDENT UNIONS (ABFSU)
July 12, 1995


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(Translated from Burmese)_ Original Statement in Burmese is available here. 
Please Contact: Zaw Min, Joint-Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the ABSDF

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