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Organization: Forum for Democracy and Human Rights
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Date: Mon, 2 Sep 1996 14:59:16 +0000
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Subject: Suu Kyi: Junta Circumventing Law
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The Hindu ( September 2, 1996 ): Junta circumventing law : Suu Kyi
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<From V. Jayanath, Singapore, Sept. 1>
Even as Myanmar's National Development Minister urged Japan to release its
pending multi-million dollar aid, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Ms. Aung San
Suu Kyi, slammed the military junta of circumventing "due processes" of law and
sentencing her supporters to long term imprisonment.
The National Development Minister, Brig. Gen. David Abel, called upon Tokyo
to release the blocked aid funds for the reconstruction of the Yangon Airport.
The aid, pledged in the 1980's, was suspended during the height of the
pro-democracy movement's struggle in 1988.
He stressed the urgency of rebuilding and developing the airport to cope with the
current demands and pressure as also to provide more convenience to visitors
and investors alike. His call came ahead of the "visit myanmar year," which
begins in November this year.
But Ms. Suu Kyi raised the banner of revolt yesterday, accusing the military
junta of "Travesity of Justice" and "secretive Trials" of political activists
supporting her National League for Democracy (National League for Democracy).
She alleged that the under-trials were denied access to legal help and their friends
and relatives were denied visits to the prison where they were held. Ms. Suu
Kyi dubbed the trial and the procedures adopted by the administrations as
"illegal" and meant only to crush the pro-democracy movement.
Though the National League for Democracy had filed appeals on their behalf,
past experience, she said, had shown that they were of no avail. Though the
League was the registered political party, it was still unable to function
effectively and freely.
The Nobel laureate's latest outburst against the military regime could possibly
intensify Western pressure on the state law and order restoration council
(SLORC), the name by which the junta calls itself. These charges specifically
relate to denial of justice and prevention of legal, political activity. And that
should provide some fodder to the human rights groups that have been lobbying
for firmer action against the junta.
South Asian analysts see in Myanmar, a ripe issue for the region's
seven-member grouping, the Asean, to mediate and find a political solution.
Especially in the context of the OIC Indonesia brokered peace pact in the
Philippines, they are emboldened to suggest that the Asean can now take on the
role of "facilitator" to begin a dialogue between the military junta and the
pro-democracy movement in Yangon.
"The earlier Asean decides to play that role, without in any way offering a
solution or imposing one, the better for the region. It will not be any violation of
Asean's policy or approach, to enable disputing parities to come to the
negotiating on Myanmar. All that is being suggested is that an informal,
facilitator's role could be played, even diplomatically, to bring the two parties
together. They can and should find a solution on their own,: the analysts
suggest.
They are worried about not only the crackdown on political activists by the
authorities, but the growing stridency of Ms. Suu Kyi's charges against the
SLORC. If both these trends continue, then the situation in Myanmar can soon
go out of hand and Asean will then face a genuine problem at its doorstep.
Without waiting for cloud burst, the "preventive diplomacy," which is one of
the watch words of the region, can get into play even now, Western diplomats
here say.
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