hunger strike

[m3081344@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

HUNGER STRIKE TO PROTEST SLORC MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASEAN

( AUGUST 7-10, 1997 )
CANBERRA

The Revolutionary Council, the military dictatorship headed by General
Ne Win came into power in Burma on March 2, 1962.  Two and a half
decades of mismanagement by the military has resulted in the decline of
the political, economic, and social aspects of the country, not to
mention, the disastrous effects on the education of the country's future
generations.  

As inevitable, a nation-wide uprising for democracy and freedom erupted
in 1988, as initiated by the students.  Seizing the unrests, as an
opportunity, a military dictatorship known as The State Law and Order
Restoration Council       ( SLORC ) came into being on September 18,
1988.  The bloody coup resulted in the deaths of thousands of peaceful
demonstrators.

Incompetent and corrupt regime impoverished the country to its present
state- one of the poorest on earth from that of the richest in Southeast
Asia.  Also, the SLORC has earned a pariah status, for its gross human
rights abuses and brutality on the people to prolong its dynastic rule,
as evidenced by refusing to honour the results of the 1990 polls, won by
the National League for Democracy Party of Daw Aung San Su Kyi ( 1991
Noble Peace Prize Winner ).  

The SLORC's hold on power is further strengthened when the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) began to exercise the Constructive
Engagement on Burma.  The ASEAN nations, Japan, and also Australia have
invested heavily in Burma.  China's US $ 1.5 billion worth of arms on
credit, also, buoyed up SLORC's ego for eternal rule.  

Recently, the ASEAN has embraced the SLORC as one of its members,
disregarding the norms of principle and decency and ignoring the will of
the 45 million people of Burma.  

As a result, we envision a scenario, in which ASEAN's act of recognition
on the pariah regime and further economic collusion will only result in
more profound and negative impacts on the economic and social aspects of
the country, not to mention, its undue recognition given and
considerable monetary gain for its eternal rule.

Therefore, we, the undersigned twelve members of the All Burma Students
Democratic Organisation ( ABSDO ), by staging a 72 hr. hunger strike,
strongly demand the ASEAN to review its policy on the SLORC and put on
hold, its membership in the ASEAN, until democratic changes take place
in Burma.