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Quebec legislature resolution on Bu



Subject: Quebec legislature resolution on Burma

QUEBEC URGES CANADIAN GOVERNMENT ACTION ON BURMA

QUEBEC, Dec 9 (BN-BC) -- The National Assembly of Quebec has become the
second Canadian legislature this year to urge recognition of the Committee
Representing the People's Parliament of the Union of Burma.

In a motion unanimously adopted by deputies on both sides of the House on
Dec 8, the Assembly urges the Government of Canada "to acknowledge that the
Committee Representing the People's Parliament which stems from the
Parliament democratically elected by the people on 27 May, 1990,
legitimately represents the Burmese people, that it take any necessary
measures to ensure the implementation of coordinated international action
for the respect of human rights in Burma, and that it call upon the
Secretary General of the United Nations to continue discussions with the
heads of the Burmese military junta and the country's other major political
figures in order to move towards the democratization of Burma."

The motion also condemns the "continual violations of human rights in Burma
committed against the country's numerous ethnic minorities by the military
junta in power, violations which include mass arrests, arbitrary and
extrajudicial executions, torture, forced labour, forced deportations of
populations, and the denial of fundamental freedoms of expression and
association."  It urges the Burmese military to " to free all prisoners
immediately and unconditionally, to revoke all repressive Acts, to cease
all violations of human rights, especially those of which the members of
the National League for Democracy are victims, and to immediately begin
constructive political discussions with the Committee Representing the
People's Parliament before any further acts of violence occur in Burma:"
 
Speaking for the governing Parti quebecois, David Payne, deputy for Vachon,
said the message from Quebec was "clear and courageous": "that democracy
would be restored in Burma, that its people would be freed, that the
nations of the world would welcome once again our brothers and sisters who
have suffered for values which we also have gone through so much to gain". 
 For his part, Jacques Chagnon, chair of the opposition Liberal caucus,
drew attention to the "clear collaboration between generals and drug
traffickers" in Burma.  "Income from  teak, precious stones and tourism in
Burma is hardly enough to pay for 10% of the value of the arms that the
[narcodictature] buys every year."

National Assembly President, Jean-Pierre Charbonneau, author and journalist
and strong advocate of developing world causes, was instrumental in
bringing the resolution before the house.  After the motion was carried, he
promised the Assembly that all necessary measures would be taken to make
the text of the resolution known widely and to bring it to the attention of
interparliamentary bodies with the National Assembly was associated.

A warm welcome was accorded to Dr. Sein Win, prime minister of the National
Coalition Government of the Union of Burma and U Bo Hla Tint, Minister for
North and South American Affairs of the NCGUB who were in the Visitors
Gallery of the Assembly during the debate on the resolution.  Present with
them was Warren Allmand, head of the International Centre for Human Rights
and the Development of Democracy.  The Assembly heard with pleasure that
two citizens of Burma, Prisoner of Conscience Min Ko Naing and border
physician Dr. Cynthia Maung, will be the joint recipients on Friday of this
week of the ICHRDD's John Peter Humphreys Freedom Award in the city of
Montreal.

Earlier in the week, Dr Sein Win and U Bo Hla Tint visited Toronto where
they met with members of three of the parties represented in Ontario's
legislature.  It is believed that a Burma resolution will soon be
introduced there.  Burma groups in Edmonton and Winnipeg are also actively
lobbying the provincial legislatures of Alberta and Manitoba.    

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