statements (r)

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All Burma Students' Democratic Front

Statement on the 8th Anniversary of Slorc's Coup d'e tat

Date: 18 September 1996

	Eight years ago on September 18, 1988, the State Law and Order 
Restoration Council (Slorc) staged a military coup d'e tat that brought 
the people of Burma onto the streets demanding an end to one-party rule 
and demand for democracy.  The response from the military was a brutal, 
and violent crackdown that resulted thousands of people killed and 
imprisoned.  In addition, the Slorc announced that it would held 
multi-party general election and that state power would be transferred to 
those elected.
	Eight years later the people of Burma are still waiting for the 
Slorc to honor the results of the general election held in 1990.  Eighty 
two percent of parliamentary seats were won by the National League for 
Democracy (NLD) party led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.  Many elected members 
of parliament were arrested and given long prison sentences, some of whom 
are still, today, facing many more years of imprisonment.  The country is 
still under military rule where gross abuses of human rights are 
conducted in order to ensure the Slorc stay in power.
	The All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) strongly 
condemns the Slorc for ignoring by the true will of the people of Burma 
through the 1990 general election, and for ignoring calls from the 
international community for democracy and human rights.
	While the Slorc has failed in its management of the country, the 
people face more hardships.  The economic and social policies of the 
Slorc do nothing but empower the army and further oppress the people.  
Slorc's army is now two times larger than in 1988 and continues to grow 
under its open market economy.
	In order to ease increasing international and internal pressure 
of its worsening human rights record, and failure for democratization; 
the Slorc has through force, achieved temporary cease-fire agreements 
with 15 armed ethnic groups.  However, the Slorc still refuses to discuss 
any of the political and social problems through dialogue and political 
means with any groups.  Instead, pressure through military oppression and 
divide and rule are still implemented by the regime today.
	Therefore, the ABSDF, for the sake of the country, strongly 
demands that the Slorc;
release all political prisoners including prominent student leader Min Ko 
Naing,
stop all forms of human rights abuses,
cancel all unjust laws and orders,
engage in a tripartite dialogue with democracy groups led by Daw Aung San 
Suu Kyi and ethnic leaders for achieving national reconciliation and 
lasting peace.
	We also appeal to the international community to help the people 
of Burma by exerting more pressure on the SLORC through economic 
sanctions and an international arms embargo until democracy and human 
rights is achieved in Burma.
	The ABSDF urges the students and people from all walks of live in 
and out of the country to redouble their efforts for furthering the 
struggle for democracy and human rights.
	The ABSDF reconfirms that it will continue the fight against the 
SLORC hand in hand with the ethnic people of Burma for uprooting the 
military dictatorship, the root problem of the country and achieving 
genuine peace.

Central Committee
ABSDF

Date: 18 September 1996.
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Statement on the 8th Anniversary of a Military Coup

Date: 18 September 1996.

	Military regime of Burma obtained a power of sovereignty by 
military coup in 1962 and they practiced dictatorship system, it led the 
whole country to the less developed country.
	That is why, we, students, youths and people of Burma have been 
starting our anti-dictatorship revolution to remove a military regime of 
Burma and to establish developed and modern state.
	Thousands of Burmese students and people of Burma, peaceful 
demonstrators were killed by well trained army.  After that the State Law 
and Order Restoration Council coup the power again it express that 
dictator never regard what the people wish.  At this moment, Slorc trying 
to prolong a militarism in Burma, making oppression of the people, making 
arrest political dissidents by unjust laws and orders, expanding a 
military strength to prolong a militarism in Burma and using so-called 
market economy for exploitation of the Burma's natural resources and 
Slorc's own profit.
	It is genuine wish people boldly expressed against the total 
oppression and human rights violation.  Ignoring the 1990 election result 
and being held the sham national convention to set the improper state 
hierarchy, the Slorc has been doing everything benefited for them not for 
failure to keep the power.
	All walks of people of Burma, thereby, have been being suffered 
from the radical human rights violation, scarcity of employment, 
inflation an higher living cost with threats and torture by bias laws and 
decree forcefully set by the military junta.
	We, therefore, demand the Slorc for the followings to follow immediately.
To hand the power over to the NLD, winner of 1990 election.
To release all the political prisoners including student leader Min Ko Naing.
To revoke the unjust laws and decrees.
To cease the sham national convention.
To hold table-dialogue between the democratic forces led by national 
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
To proclaim the nation-wide cease-fire.

Students and Youth Congress of Burma (SYCB)
Overseas National Students Organization of Burma (ONSOB)
All Burma Basic Education Student Union (ABBESU)
Burmese Students Association (BSA)
All Burmese Students Democratic Organization (ABSDO-Australia)

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Statement to the ASEAN member countries on the 8th anniversary of bloody 
coup day in Burma

	Today marks the eight anniversary of bloody military coup in 
Burma.  Burma still remains the only one country left in Southeast Asia 
region which is totally run by military dictatorship.  Unfortunately, its 
military regime, State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) that has 
brutally suppressed the thousands of peaceful demonstrators and stage a 
blood coup with arms, is being recognized as the legitimate government 
and being gained the legitimacy by the ASEAN member countries.
	The Constructive Engagement used by ASEAN member countries 
towards Burma and its ruling military regime is merely to support for 
prolong of military dictatorship in Burma.  As well as it clearly 
supports the human rights violations against the entire Burmese people by 
the Slorc.  ASEAN, founded for the regional stability and development, 
unfortunately practicing constructive engagement for their own business 
interest in the short-term perspective.  The investment in Burma could 
not bring the Burma's development, but it is just for the elite group of 
Slorc and its immediate families.  With the hard currency earned from the 
foreign investments, Slorc has purchased a large amount of weapon and has 
been intensifying it military strength.  This is the significant threat 
for the regional security and stability that in one of the objectives of 
the ASEAN organization.
	The main cause of the problem along the Thai-Burmese border is 
Slorc's expansion of its military strength.
	ASEAN member countries are backing Slorc's human rights 
violations, and political repression.  As well as with the adopting of 
so-called constructive engagement, ASEAN is defending the criticism, 
pressure and condemn of international and world community.
	Moreover, the selling weaponry to the Slorc and giving military 
support by some ASEAN members will become the great barrier for the 
restoration of eternal and genuine internal peace in Burma.
	We strongly believe that as long as the military dictatorship 
exists in Burma, political stability and development could not be 
achieved.  Likewise, the dictatorship will not cause the regional 
security and stability.
	We, hereby, ask the ASEAN member countries the following demands.
To give concrete pressure to Slorc in order to emerge the 
democratically-elected government and restoration of democracy and human 
rights.
To halt all trade investment in Burma and stop cooperate with Slorc which 
dose not have the legitimacy and support by its people.
To allow Burma as a member of ASEAN after the people-elected government 
is founded.

Students and Youth Congress of Burma (SYCB)
Overseas National Students Organization of Burma (ONSOB)
All Burma Basic Education Student Union (ABBESU)
Burmese Students Association (BSA)
All Burma Students Democratic Organization (ABSDO-Australia)
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