We confirmed today that
there has been no improvement in human rights situation nor progress in
democratization through a dialogue in Myanmar. Those courageous monks and
civilians who participated in the September democracy protests last year have
been killed and persecuted, among whom more than 700 are still kept in
detention. The number of people who have been detained for the reason of
participating in political activities is over 1800. Despite the strong
International criticism, human rights oppression has not been eliminated.
The Myanmar military regime
(SPDC) has been disregarding people's voice shown as the result of 1990
election, made a draft of the new Constitution arbitrarily excluding democracy
groups, and announced that a Constitutional referendum and a national election
will be held in May, 2008 and 2010 respectively. The process of the
Constitution drafting has serious problems; it excludes entirely the democracy
leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from the election campaign process by providing
that those married to foreigners shall be disqualified to be the President;
under its provision, 110 out of 440 Diet seats shall be assigned by the army;
it provides that the fundamental human rights shall be guaranteed only within
the scope of the current national regime and existing laws. The risk of
continuation of the military regime dictatorship and human rights oppression is
no negligible. True realization of democratization and fill respect on human
rights are far to be reached. As people calling for democratization always
indicate, true democratization cannot be realized without a dialogue with all
the people from democracy groups including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
We draw attention to
on-going human rights violations and firmly oppose to holding forcibly a
Constitutional referendum by the Myanmar military regime (SPDC). We urge the
Myanmar military regime (SPDC), the international society, and the Japanese
government to take actions listed below towards true democratization. At the
same time, we declare to continue working actively toward democratization.
Recommendations
1 The Myanmar military regime
(SPDC) should release all the people from democracy groups including Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi , political prisoners, and monks.
2 The Myanmar military regime
(SPDC) should stop holding forcibly a referendum that excludes democratic
groups and immediately initiate the democratization process by having a
practical dialogue with people from democracy groups, ethnic minority leaders,
and other people concerned.
3 The international society
should express clear opposition against the process towards a Constitutional
referendum and the draft of the Constitution that the Myanmar military regime
(SPDC) is forcibly proceeding with.
4 The Japanese government
should, from the humanitarian point of view, broadly give asylum to and protect
those people who have suffered from persecution and oppression and fled from
their own country, taking the refugee acceptance on the third-country
resettlement program in scope.
