SLORC GETS ASEAN "REPORT CARD" FROM

[altsean@xxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: SLORC GETS ASEAN "REPORT CARD" FROM DEMOCRACY SUPPORTERS

A L T S E A N - B U R M A
ALTERNATIVE ASEAN NETWORK ON BURMA
*tel: [662] 275 1811/693 4515 *fax: [662] 693 4515 *e-mail: altsean@xxxxxxxxxx
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SLORC GETS ASEAN "REPORT CARD" FROM DEMOCRACY SUPPORTERS

Bangkok, Thursday: Supporters of democracy in Burma today issued a first
month report card, outlining Slorc's "progress" as a member of Asean.  The
report card, produced by Images Asia and Altsean-Burma (Alternative Asean
Network on Burma), made its debut at an international conference organised
in Bangkok by several regional think tanks.

The "INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN ASIA - ECONOMIC
AND POLITICAL DIMENSIONS" was organised by Asia Institute Foundation,
Thailand, Institute for Policy Research, Malaysia, Information & Resource
Center, Singapore with the support of the Cambodian Institute for
Cooperation and Peace, Singapore Institute of International Affairs and
sponsored by Sasakawa Southeast Asia Cooperation Fund, Japan. The 2-day
conference opened today at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

The A5 12-page booklet provided a chronology of developments in Burma during
Slorc's first month of Asean membership and rated Slorc's "progress" under
several headings:
        Human Rights Abuses     :       Deteriorating
        Refugees                :       Deteriorating
        Sitn of Daw ASSK & movement:    Deteriorating
        Economy                 :       Deteriorating
        Education               :       Stagnant
        Burma-Thailand Relations:       Slightly Better
        International Relations :       Deteriorating

The first day's proceeding covered the topic of Constructive Engagement in
Asia (Japan, China, India), as well as CE in Southeast Asia (Cambodia,
Burma).  The general consensus derived from panel discussions and
participant interventions showed that while most people agreed on the
concept of CE as a means of promoting reform, there was a need to modify or
redefine the approach since it had not led to significant achievements. For
more info on proceedings, please keep an eye out for media coverage of this
event. A summarised agenda follows:

Day one (Aug. 21)
INTRODUCTIONS
*  Mr. Akira Iriyama, President, Sasakawa Peace Foundation
*  Mr. M. Rajaretnam, Director, Information & Resource Center, Singapore

KEYNOTE ADDRESS
*  Khun Pitak, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Thailand

PANEL ONE: CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN ASIA
*  Dr. Takashi Shirasu, Program Director, Sasakawa Southeast Asia
Cooperation Fund, Japan (Chairman)
*  Shri Jasjit Singh, Director, Institute for Defense and Strategic
Analyses, India
*  Prof. Zhang Yebai, Senior Researcher, Institute of American Studies,
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China
*  Dr Tomoyuki Kojima, Professor of East Asian and Comparative Political
Systems, Faculty of Management, Keio University, Japan

PANEL TWO: CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
*  Dr Lee Lai To, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (Chairman)
*  Prof. Josef Silverstein, Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University, U.S.A 
*  Abdul Rahman Adnan , Director, Institute for Policy Research, Malaysia
*  Michael Vatikiotis, Correspondent, Far Eastern Economic Review
*  Dr. Soedjati Djiwandono, Centre for Strategic and International Studies,
Indonesia 

DAY TWO: FRIDAY 22 AUGUST

PANEL THREE: FORMULATING A POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE 
*  Prof. Dr. Zakaria Haji Ahmad , Chairman , Head Strategic Studies Unit 
National University of Malaysia (Chairman)
*  Prof. Dr., Dorojarun Kuntjoro- Jakti, Dean, Faculty of Economics,
University of Indonesia
*  Dr. Amitav Archarya, Associate Director, Joint Centre for Asia Pacific
Studies, York University, Canada 
*  Dr.Sarasin Viraphol, Vice President, Charoen Pokphand, Thailand
*  Assoc. Professor Carlyle A. Thayer, Head, School of Politics, Australian
Defense Force Academy, Canberra

LUNCH ADDRESS: "INDIA AND EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: FUTURE DIRECTIONS"
*  Shri Jaswant Singh, Member of Parliament and Deputy Leader BJP
Parliamentary Party, India

PANEL FOUR: THE PARIS PEACE AGREEMENT ON CAMBODIA:  PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
*  M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, Member of Parliament, Thailand (Chairman)
*  Dr. Stephen Morris, Boston University, USA
*  Kavi Chongkittavorn, Executive Editor, The Nation, Thailand
*  Kao Kim Hourn, Executive Director, Cambodian Institute for Peace and
Cooperation, Phnom Penh
*  Dr Hank Lim, National University of Singapore

CLOSING REMARKS
*  Information & Resource Center
*  Asia Institute Foundation, Thailand
A L T S E A N - B U R M A
ALTERNATIVE ASEAN NETWORK ON BURMA
*tel: [662] 275 1811/693 4515 *fax: [662] 693 4515 *e-mail: altsean@xxxxxxxxxx
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