6 April 2008
Joint Action Committee of Burmese Community in Japan
Japanese Trade Union Confederation
Human Rights Now
People’s Forum on Bruma
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 full 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.
5 The Japanese government should discontinue its ODA (Official Development Aid) to Myanmar except a limited amount of humanitarian aid until any progress is seen on the democratization process through a dialogue between the Myanmar military regime (SPDC) and democracy groups.
