Government Statements

• National Coalition Government Union of Burma
 
• UN Secretary General
 
• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
 
• United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
 
• European Union statement
 
• European Parliament Resolution2007.pdf(.pdf)
 
• UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown
 
• UK Foreign Office
 
• French Foreign Ministry
 
• US State Department
 
• USA - statement by President Bush
 
• USA - statement by Laura Bush
 
• Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
• Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs
 
• Irish Department of Foreign Affairs
 
• Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
• Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 
• Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

NGO Statements

• International Trade Union Confederation


• Federation of Trade Unions Burma


• Human Rights Watch


• Reporters Without Borders


• The Asian Human Rights Commission


• Amnesty International


• Article 19


• Letter from Asian Human Rights Groups to ASEAN

Other Statements

• UN Special Rapporteurs urge release of peaceful protesters(pdf)


• ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC)


• Václav Havel


• The Nobel Women’s Initiative


• Japanese Parliamentary Group Supporting Democratization in Myanmar


• Swedish MPs call for immediate release of all activists arrested in Burma


• John Bercow MP, UK


• Simon Coveney Fine Gael TD, Ireland


• Chairman Tom Lantos, House Foreign Affairs Committee, USA

National Coalition Government Union of Burma
August 21, 2007  
National Coalition Government Union of Burma (NCGUB) Supports Right To Peaceful Demonstration, Urges Junta To Release Unlawfully Detained Activists.

The Burmese generals have unlawfully arrested the leaders of the 88 Generation Students, including Min Ko Naing, as well as other leading pro-democracy activists today. The move is apparently aimed at thwarting the peaceful demonstration called for    

by activists and the student leaders who wanted the military regime to reduce fuel oil prices.

We, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), strongly condemn the Burmese generals for the unlawful arrest of these student leaders—many of whom have already been imprisoned over a decade without any due process of law – and urge the regime to immediately and unconditionally release them.

We also fully support the democratic right of the people to express their will through peaceful demonstration and hold the Burmese generals fully responsible for the public discontent in the country originating from their decision to increase fuel oil prices without taking into consideration the suffering of the people who are already under enormous pressure from exorbitant commodity prices. Their decision has already sparked another round of inflation and has plunged most people deeper into poverty, particularly those in the poor quarters who are barely surviving on one meal a day. Hence, nationwide peaceful demonstration called for by the people is their right and a struggle for their survival.

The Burmese generals should try to understand the true situation and the general sentiment in the nation and resolve the problems for the people instead of resorting to arbitrary arrests and exerting unlawful force to settle all problems.

The NCGUB calls on governments, the United Nations, and international community at large to closely monitor the Burmese generals and dissuade it from deploying its thugs from the Union Solidarity and Development Association to brutally quell peaceful demonstrators if the people take to the streets to protest.

National Coalition Government Union of Burma
  77 South Washington Street, Suite 308, Rockville, MD 20850
  Tel: (301) 424-4810 Fax (301) 424-4812

Prime Minister Gordon Brown
 
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (National)
Burma: Prime Minister Statement
2 September 2007 

I deeply deplore the Burmese government’s violent supression of peaceful demonstrations. I call upon the Burmese authorities to release immediately all those detained merely for protesting at the hardship imposed on them by the government’s economic mismanagement and failure to uphold fundamental human rights. I also reiterate the British Government’s call for the release of all political prisoners, including Nobel Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi who has now spent almost 12 years of her life under house arrest.

As the lives of ordinary Burmese people continue to deteriorate, it is all the more important that all countries and organisations with an influence over the regime impress upon the generals the need for an early transition to democratic rule, full respect for human rights and genuine national reconciliation.

I support calls for the grave situation in Burma to be considered by the UN Security Council at the earliest opportunity. I also call for the UN General Assembly to address this issue. We give our full support to the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s good offices mission. It is time for the UN human rights bodies to give this alarming situation the attention it so patently deserves.

I am asking the Foreign Secretary to discuss this issue with our European partners next week.

I will seek an early opportunity to raise the situation in Burma with my counterparts in the key regional countries and with our partners in the EU and the US.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Press Statement
07 September 2007

Undersecretary Vernetti voices his regret over the failure of the National Convention in Burma

The Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Gianni Vernetti, has voiced his regret over what is, essentially, the failure of the National Convention in Burma, the aim of which was to open a true process of national reconciliation and democratisation in the country.

Undersecretary Vernetti also expressed his concern over the arrests of Burmese citizens during the peaceful demonstrations that began throughout the country on 15 August. He commented that the continuing detention of the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other opposition leaders and political prisoners was a further cause for concern.

It is to be hoped that the Government of Burma will engage in an inclusive process of dialogue, national reconciliation and democratisation. Italy continues its constant monitoring of the situation, in close coordination with its European Union partners. Our country is ready to support any international or multilateral initiative that might play a part in promoting a climate of dialogue in Burma.

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Burma: Condemnation of the arrest of pro-democracy students

During the past few days, the Junta in Burma has arrested a number of student leaders from the 1988 Generation - a prominent pro-democracy group.
The arrests followed demonstrations against a sudden rise in energy prices, which the Burmese Government introduced on 15 August.

Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Per Stig Møller, states:
“The Danish Government strongly condemns the recent days’ arrest of several of Burma’s leading human rights activists. The arrests are yet another example of the regime’s lack of respect for civil rights.

Denmark encourages Burma to release these activists immediately, and to release all political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is now detained for the 11th consecutive year.

We maintain our demand that Burma’s Government initiates a real process of democratisation and national reconciliation and opens up to political dialogue with the democratic forces in Burma. Denmark supports the civil forces who are working under very difficult conditions to establish a peaceful transition to democracy and reconciliation in Burma.”

(Unofficial translation by The Danish Burma Committee)

Federation of Trade Unions – Burma

Protests a Call for Democracy, Not Just Lower Fuel Prices
24 August 2007

This week’s protests in Burma have captured the world’s attention as brave activists have put life and liberty on the line to challenge Burma’s harsh military junta.  These protests were sparked by the “State Peace and Development Council’s” most recent effort to stifle democracy in Burma.

By setting exorbitantly high fuel prices, the regime created a very damaging and costly scenerio for Burma.  These protests are not simply a call for a reduction in fuel prices: they are a demand by citizens no longer fear publicly to demand that the generals change towards a democratic, representative government that may assume its lawful role in healing and uniting the country.  The protests taking place in Burma reflect a much different reality than the junta would like the world to imagine.

The generals have not brought about either “peace” or “development” in Burma any more than they have been able to squelch the peoples’ insistence for a democratic representative government in Burma and support for the Parliamentary representatives they elected. Despite their military might, the generals cannot silence this increasingly coordinated and vocal chorus of protestors.

The key, now, is for the international community not only to watch the events unfold in Burma, but also to support the protestors in their efforts to bring about democracy in their country.

The workers and the farmers bear the brunt of the inflation caused by the regime’s illogical raising of fuel by 500% . The people have the right to express their situation.  Like they have been refusing to work with the UN, the EU and even the Asean, the regime refuses to listen to the people and are branding the people as “unlawfully protesting”, “elements that want to create confusion” ect;  and using brute force to crackdown.

The regime described the forced labor reports submitted by FTUB as fabrications. Yet the consistent support and strong actions of the international trade union movement has materialized into the regime having to face the truth and accept an ILO office to monitor forced labor in Burma.

We request the international trade union movement to help the democratic movement of Burma and the workers and farmers of Burma realize our objective of a democratic system that allows freedom of association and the right to organize. We need you all to work with all international organizations and providing strong actions against the regime.

Contact: Maung Maung - General Secretary   USA - 202 352 7884

Reporters Without Borders
 
28.08.2007

Military authorities use all means possible to prevent coverage of current events

Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association firmly condemn the methods being used by the military government to prevent journalists, including those working for foreign media, from covering a wave of unrest in esponse to an increase in the price of fuel. The two organisations call on European embassies in Rangoon to publicly defend the right of Burmese journalists to work without obstruction.

“The military’s response to the wave of protests against price increases since 19 August has again been heavy-handed repression, intimidation and censorship of Burmese journalists,” the two organisations said. “Despite the violence by the military and their bully-boys, reports and pictures of the demonstrations are being seen abroad. This testifies to the courage of the Burmese journalists and demonstrators.”

The censorship bureau and the police stepped up controls after the government decided to raise the price of fuel on 15 August.

The Burmese correspondents of foreign news media say they been subjected to a great deal of intimidation from plain-clothes police and members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (the regime’s militia) while covering the recent demonstrations in Rangoon. Armed with spades and iron bars and circulating in army trucks, police and militiamen have been insulting and threatening journalists.

An unidentified journalist was roughed up by men in plain clothes as he took pictures of people lining up to take public transport in the capital on 22 August. USDA members and police prevented journalists from approaching a group of street demonstrators in Rangoon the next day. USDA thugs jostled and insulted journalists. A Reuters reporter was forbidden to take pictures of arrests and the police finally seized his cameras.

As a result of this intimidation, Agence France-Presse has described coverage of the current events as “delicate.” A journalist working for a foreign news organisation based in Bangkok told Reporters Without Borders that its Burmese stringer had been forced to stay away from the demonstrations because of the constant intimidation.

“Men in plain clothes impose an atmosphere of fear around the demonstrations which prevents us from working,” said one Burmese journalist employed by a foreign news organisation. “It is hard to risk being arrested for a photo.”

The Rangoon military command has banned journalists from taking photos of demonstrations and has ordered the seizure and destruction of cameras from those who do not comply. In order to hamper the dissemination of reports, the authorities are said to have slowed Internet traffic, even for private companies. According to some accounts, it has become increasingly difficult to access gmail.com and gtalk. Mobile phone networks have also been disrupted since demonstrators began gathering every day in Rangoon last week.

Lots of the images and reports of the demonstrations seen abroad have come from demonstrators or amateur journalists. The magazine Irrawaddy has paid homage to them and is talking of the emergence of “citizen-journalists” in Burma.

After banning the Burmese media from publishing any reports about the demonstrations, the government announced that their leaders, known as the Generation 88 activists, will be prosecuted for trying to start an uprising. They face up to 20 years in prison. After a 10-day news blackout, the media have also been told they can now refer to the fuel price increase, albeit only in positive terms.

Reporters Without Borders defends imprisoned journalists and press freedom throughout the world. It has nine national sections (Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). It has representatives in Bangkok, London, New York, Tokyo and Washington. And it has more than 120 correspondents worldwide.

© Reporters Without Borders 2007

Asian Human Rights Commission

August 29, 2007

BURMA: What will it take for the UN to act?

To the surprise of many, the protests against sharp fuel rises in Burma have continued for a second week, despite constant arrests and harassment of demonstrators and their leaders by plain-clothed police, government officials and gangs of thugs mobilised for the purpose, while soldiers are reported to be watching and waiting in the wings in case events prove uncontrollable.

The protests have now spread to parts of at least six out of the country’s 14 states and divisions, and for the first time members of the Buddhist monastic order have come out in force: over 150 monks and novices marched in the capital of the western Arakan State on 28 August 2007, joined by another 50 to a hundred ordinary citizens. Fittingly, they chose to walk along U Ottama Street, named after a monk from the region who led the struggle against British colonial rule and was imprisoned with hard labour for three years as a consequence.

Meanwhile, another 500 persons marched peacefully across Pegu, north of Rangoon, where further sporadic protests that were held outside of market places in downtown and suburban areas were met with violence and persons were taken away in the by now omnipresent Dyna flat-back trucks that are being used in lieu of vehicles with official markings. Courageous individuals have video taped many of the marches and abductions of participants, and have sent the images abroad for the world to see.

What can no longer be denied is that there is in this the spark that could ignite another mass uprising against Burma’s atrocious military regime. As virtually all of the leaders from the initial protests after the unannounced August 15 price hike are now in illegal detention, it is clear that the continued rallies are not being organised through any one group or body of leaders but rather are an expression of deep and swelling resentment at the army government. The marches in Sittwe and Pegu in particular were organised by local monks and ordinary citizens and did not apparently include among them any of the prominent leaders from the 1988 generation who began walking in Rangoon on August 19, or their allies.

Persons who have so far denied that the current protests bear a resemblance to those of 1988 also appear to have forgotten that the mass demonstrations of that year did not happen overnight: on the contrary, they slowly built up over a period of about six months, and were spread over about a further five months before being crushed through the use of undisguised sheer brutality of an unexceptional scale.

One of the differences between then and now is the capacity for news to be spread outside and inside the country with unprecedented speed and coverage. Every small incident is known to persons outside of Burma within hours of it taking place, and is soon broadcast back into the country via the short wave radio services that keep the population informed of what their government does not wish them to hear. These same services report in detail on the reaction of the international community, and reports of strong interest from abroad serve to galvanise the spirit and efforts of people there.

Unfortunately, the world leaders who speak so often about democracy and human rights appear not to understand this. Since its open letter of August 24 calling on the Secretary General of the United Nations to take intervene in the worsening situation in Burma, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received messages from people in all parts of the world asking why the UN has so far sat on its hands.

The AHRC is asking the same question: ironically, the fleeting expressions of concern by the Secretary General and High Commissioner for Human Rights about the current situation in Burma have served no purpose other than to give further confidence to its dictatorship. It has heard such remarks countless times before and will no doubt be reassured that yet again empty rhetoric is all that the United Nations has to offer its fifty million long-suffering people. And not only the UN but also other multilateral agencies, notably the European Union, deserve criticism for the complete lack of timely and meaningful intervention at this critical time.

The Asian Human Rights Commission iterates its call for firm and deliberate action by the United Nations on Burma: now, today. It proposes that the Secretary General and High Commissioner each call urgent strategy meetings with concerned personnel and informed advisers—not merely persons with diplomatic credentials but those who know what is actually going on in the country—to discuss and propose immediate steps. It also echoes calls for an emergency session of the Security Council to be held on the same, as the consequences of the recent hikes in prices will under any circumstances have ramifications for the region.

Finally, the AHRC earnestly calls upon concerned fellow members of the public everywhere to lobby their governments to act, before it is again too little, too late for Burma. It is confident of the genuine interest in their wellbeing among other ordinary persons throughout the world, and is convinced that if the global popular outrage at what is happening there today can be translated into strong demands upon representative governments for a unified and coherent response to these events then this will make a big difference: in fact, it could be the difference between survival and disaster for the people of Burma.
                                                           
# # # 

About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

Asian Human Rights Commission 19/F, Go-Up Commercial Building, 998 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hongkong S.A.R. Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367