Actions Birmanie announcement for demonstration 28 January 2003

Dear all,

I am sending you the press release, both in English and French, issued by the Actions Birmanie regarding the EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting on January 27^th to 28^th in Brussels. Please note that a demonstration will take place on Tuesday January 28^th at 10:00 AM, outside the Justus Lipsius Building, 175 rue de la Loi. Brussels

I am also sending you the press release issued by The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), UK.

Hope to see you all at the demonstration.

Best regards

Beaudee Zawmin

Press release Embargoed until January 28

Actions Birmanie is outraged by the presence in Brussels today of a representative of the illegitimate and dictatorial Burmese regime, and its participation in the EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting

Actions Birmanie fears that such diplomatic efforts cannot advance the cause of democracy in Burma. Indeed the junta continues to show that it has no intention to transfer power to those who were democratically elected in 1990, nor, for that matter, to engage in any significant dialogue with them. The junta tends to utilise such international events to its own advantage, to gain strength and perpetuate its rule by purely cosmetic moves which are, however, carefully publicized.

To remind, the results of the junta’s rule are extremely negative.

This rule is best characterised by

- Extreme poverty coupled with no freedom of expression, for 50 million Burmese people

- Arbitrary arrests, long jail sentences, tortures and ill-treatment for over 1000 political prisoners including 19 journalists

- Multiple and continuous human right violations, with extortion, forced relocation, murder, rape and genocide for ethnic groups, particularly Karen, Karenni and Shan

- Closure of universities and a shattered educational system

- Flight of millions, particularly towards neighbouring coutries

- The generalised practice of forced labour. The ILO estimates at about 100 000 the number of forced labourers in the country every day

- The absence of any effective social policy, including in the health sector. The AIDS situation is out of control

- Production and trade of opium, heroine, amphetamines

- A three-fold increase in the number of soldiers during the last 15 years, and the purchase of high-technology weaponry, including MIG29 jet-fighters; military expenditures representing the largest part of the national budget.

On behalf of 50 million oppressed Burmese, Actions Birmanie demands

- an end to the policy of constructive engagement with Burma. Constructive engagement and trade interests are the root causes for the support our countries and Burma’s neighbouring countries still give to this dictatorship

- An end to the repression of exiled Burmese political opponents by the Thai armed forces

- The start of a significant dialogue between the junta, the democrats, and the ethnic people leaders

- The implementation by the Burmese rulers of a genuine policy of democratic reforms.

· The demonstration will take place on Tuesday 28 January 2003 at 10h00, outside the Justus Lipsius Building, 175 rue de la Loi, Brussels

For further information, please contact:
Michel Genet at 04 78 39 39 66

Press release Embargoed until January 28

Actions Birmanie is outraged by the presence in Brussels today of a representative of the illegitimate and dictatorial Burmese regime, and its participation in the EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting

Actions Birmanie fears that such diplomatic efforts cannot advance the cause of democracy in Burma. Indeed the junta continues to show that it has no intention to transfer power to those who were democratically elected in 1990, nor, for that matter, to engage in any significant dialogue with them. The junta tends to utilise such international events to its own advantage, to gain strength and perpetuate its rule by purely cosmetic moves which are, however, carefully publicized.

To remind, the results of the junta’s rule are extremely negative.

This rule is best characterised by

- Extreme poverty coupled with no freedom of expression, for 50 million Burmese people

- Arbitrary arrests, long jail sentences, tortures and ill-treatment for over 1000 political prisoners including 19 journalists

- Multiple and continuous human right violations, with extortion, forced relocation, murder, rape and genocide for ethnic groups, particularly Karen, Karenni and Shan

- Closure of universities and a shattered educational system

- Flight of millions, particularly towards neighbouring coutries

- The generalised practice of forced labour. The ILO estimates at about 100 000 the number of forced labourers in the country every day

- The absence of any effective social policy, including in the health sector. The AIDS situation is out of control

- Production and trade of opium, heroine, amphetamines

- A three-fold increase in the number of soldiers during the last 15 years, and the purchase of high-technology weaponry, including MIG29 jet-fighters; military expenditures representing the largest part of the national budget.

On behalf of 50 million oppressed Burmese, Actions Birmanie demands

- an end to the policy of constructive engagement with Burma. Constructive engagement and trade interests are the root causes for the support our countries and Burma’s neighbouring countries still give to this dictatorship

- An end to the repression of exiled Burmese political opponents by the Thai armed forces

- The start of a significant dialogue between the junta, the democrats, and the ethnic people leaders

- The implementation by the Burmese rulers of a genuine policy of democratic reforms.

· The demonstration will take place on Tuesday 28 January 2003 at 10h00, outside the Justus Lipsius Building, 175 rue de la Loi, Brussels

For further information, please contact:
Michel Genet at 04 78 39 39 66

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Press Release

(23/01/03)

UK POLICY ON BURMA MAY HAVE TO TOUGHEN

Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien today telephoned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy leader. This was their third regular telephone conversation since November 2002. This latest conversation was however much shorter than previous ones due to constant interference and the cutting out of the telephone line. It is not clear what caused these problems to the line.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told Mr O'Brien that the National League for Democracy wanted to work with the people and the authorities for the sake of the country. Urgent progress was needed. The NLD did not want confrontation. But continued harassment on the part of the authorities would only invite confrontation.

Mr O'Brien told Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that the UK was very concerned about the increasing restrictions being placed on her freedom to travel and operate freely and that the disruptions of her recent meetings in Rakhine State were 'symptomatic of the attitude of the Burmese regime'.

Before the telephone link broke down, Mr O'Brien said that if the limited political progress achieved to date in Burma was further eroded, the UK would be forced to consider whether a tightening of policy toward the regime was now required.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. There have been recent reports of deliberate interference with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's telephone line.

2. The EU Common Position on Burma contains an arms embargo, a ban on high-level visits, a ban on defence links, a ban on the sale of items that could be used for torture or repression, and a visa ban and asset freeze on senior regime and military members. In addition the EC suspended Burma's Generalised System of Preferences trading privileges in response to the use of forced labour in Burma. The UK also does not encourage trade, investment or tourism with Burma.