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NGOs appealed for justice in Burma



NGOs appeal for justice in Myanmar


 .c Kyodo News Service    

BANGKOK, March 9 (Kyodo) -- By: Varunee Torsricharoen Nongovernmental human
rights and democracy organizations in Thailand jointly issued Tuesday an
open letter to visiting Myanmar Prime Minister Than Shwe calling for a
peaceful transition from military to democratic rule and peace and justice
in the country. 

''It has been a long time...your people have been suffering because of your
repressive and illegitimate rule. Give yourselves and your people a chance
to live in peace and justice,'' said the letter from the 14 NGOs under the
umbrella Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development. 

''It will be a long legacy you will leave behind as a ruler...history not
just for Burma (Myanmar), for Asia, but for the world.'' 

The military junta in Myanmar has consistently rejected democracy, most
notably by refusing to allow the National League for Democracy, which won
national elections in 1990, come to power. 

Sixteen members of the organizations also demonstrated in front of the
Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok against the visit. They left the three-page open
letter in the mailbox at the embassy because no one in authority would come
out to accept it. 

The NGOs said Than Shwe, who is also chairman of the ruling State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), should be using his visit to solve the problems
of refugees and migrant workers from Myanmar residing in Thailand, as well
as looking for ways to address the problems of political prisoners, poverty
and environment degradation in Myanmar. 

On Monday, the group submitted another open letter to Thai Prime Minister
Chuan Leekpai denouncing his government for concealing the schedule for the
Myanmar premier, who ends his trip Tuesday. 

The Thai government should ''allow the public to criticize the visit of the
leader of SPDC by openly disclosing the policies and activities of the
governments in transparent manner, instead of concealing the schedules,''
the letter to Chuan said. 

Thai officials did not provide detailed schedules for Than Shwe's visit,
which is unusual. 

The letter further stated that a tour of drug eradication programs in
Thailand by the Myanmar leader is ''not only futile,'' but makes Thailand
''the laughingstock of the international community'' as drug smuggling along
the border between the two countries remains a major problem. It also noted
the military junta in Myanmar has clearly documented associations with drug

lords there. 

The NGOs also condemned Thailand for its failure to provide safety for
migrant workers and refugees from Myanmar. 

''Like the life they escaped from inside (Myanmar), conditions in Thailand
have likewise been very insecure and traumatic for most of them. Many have
been arbitrarily arrested, tortured and detained and suffered inhuman
conditions inside Thai prisons,'' the letter said. 

Myanmar dissidents also briefly staged a protest in front of the prime
minister's office against the visit. 

Than Shwe led a 43-member delegation Monday to see Thailand's substitution
of commercial crops for opium poppy cultivation in Chiang Rai, the northern
province that is part of the notorious Golden Triangle, the largest source
of poppies, opium, heroin and methamphetamine in Southeast Asia. 

The delegation also met with Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej and was honored at
a banquet hosted by the Thai government Monday. 

Tuesday, the delegation was to visit a chicken processing plant in Sara
Buri, a province in central Thailand, before flying to Yangon later in the
day. 

AP-NY-03-09-99 0341EST