From the Alternative ASEAN network...
Please feel free to endorse (forwarding email address below; please not to
this list), and forward to other interested parties...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "altsean" <altsean@altsean.org>
> To: <jho117@attglobal.net>
> Sent: Friday, 18 March, 2005 11:32 AM
> Subject: MEMO to the Asean Foreign Ministers
>
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> We enjoin everyone to endorse this urgent memo to the ASEAN to officially
> block Burma from chairing the Asean in 2006. This petition shall be
> submitted to the Asean Foreign Ministers who will be having their annual
> retreat on April 10-12, 2005 in Cebu, Philippines. Please feel free to
> pass this on to your friends, organizations and supporters of democracy in
> Burma.
>
> Please email your endorsement to <altsean@altsean.org> on or before 28
> March 2005.
>
> Thank you very much.
>
> In solidarity,
>
> Altsean Burma Secretariat
>
>
> To: ASEAN Foreign Ministers, Cebu, the Philippines
>
> March 28, 2005
>
> Your Excellencies,
>
> Among the many important topics that will be covered during your retreat
in
> Cebu this April, we hope that discussions about Burma will take the
> forefront. In particular we respectfully appeal to you to disqualify Burma
> from chairing ASEAN in 2006.
>
> Deferring Burma's chairmanship until such a time that the military regime
> has proven a genuine commitment to fulfill its promises of the political
> and economic reforms is critical to preserve the credibility and
> international status of ASEAN. Burma's military regime, the State Peace
and
> Development Council (SPDC), has repeatedly manipulated the goodwill of
> ASEAN and betrayed the trust that ASEAN and individual ASEAN members have
> invested in the deceitful promises espoused by the regime.
>
> In the eight years that Burma has been a member of ASEAN, none of the
> promised democratic reforms have transpired. On the contrary, abuses have
> intensified, economic mismanagement worsened and the military has
> consolidated its power while severely undermining and intimidating the
> democracy movement and civil society.
>
> Of particular concern is how the policies and mismanagement of the SPDC
> continue to perpetuate direct threats against regional security. We note
> with particular concern:
> § Narcotics Production and Trafficking. The regime continues to
> harbor notorious drug traffickers, who are responsible for a large portion
> of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS) that are flooding ASEAN countries and
> harming our youth. The SPDC refuses to arrest ring leaders, many of whom
> are simply transferring their business from opium to ATS pills, so that
the
> reduction in opium production is simply a mirage.
>
> § Large Flow of Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Well-documented human
> rights abuses are unrelenting including forced labor, sexual violence,
> forced conscription of child soldiers, torture and extrajudicial killings,
> economic sabotage and military offenses in the ethnic nationality areas.
> They continue to force thousands of Burmese to flee their home country
> despite the difficulties they face in alternate countries.
>
> § Emphasis on Military Arms and Nuclear Acquisition. Since 1998 the
> SPDC has more than doubled their military forces and placed financial
> priority for weapon acquisitions. This includes the acquirement of nuclear
> technology from North Korea. We are extremely concerned that the SPDC has
> obtained nuclear technology without demonstrating adequate commitment to
> upholding safety standards.
>
> § Reneging on Promises of Positive Political Reform. Ministers of
the
> regime have repeatedly broken their promises to ASEAN that they would
> release Aung San Suu Kyi and have instead embarrassed ASEAN by officially
> extending her detention during the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane last
November.
>
> The regime-controlled National Convention is undemocratic in its
operations
> a and is unrepresentative. Absent from the constitution-drafting process
is
> nine political parties representing 91% of parliamentary seats. The regime
> arrested ethnic political leaders, days before the National Convention
> reconvened in mid-February. Ten have been charged with treason which is
> punishable with a life sentence, clearly to intimidate delegates from
> engaging in open discussions. The process does not have a shred of
> legitimacy or credibility, either domestically or internationally.
> As a result of these misbehaviors, ASEAN has suffered. As ASEAN is
> maturing, the Burmese military regime is regressing and straining valued
> relationships with key partners in the international community.
>
> By immediately announcing the deferral of Burma's chairmanship, ASEAN will
> make a decisive stand to show that ASEAN membership and leadership must be
> valued and taken seriously by the SPDC. Quiet diplomacy and gentle
> persuasion have clearly been futile. We urge you to request the
Philippines
> to assume the chair in 2006 during which Burma's suitability for the
> chairmanship can be reviewed.
>
> ASEAN's international standing has suffered enough because of Burma. If
> ASEAN remains silent on the issue, we fear that it will appear to the
> international community and the military regime as tacit endorsement of
the
> SPDC's reign of political, economic and social abuse. If ASEAN awards the
> chairmanship in Burma at this time, it would lead to the prolongation to a
> misrule that has resulted in widespread human suffering, economic malaise
> and an expansion of threats to regional stability and security.
>
> A democratic Burma is in the best interest of ASEAN and the people of
> Burma. Only genuine and inclusive reconciliation will ensure a stable,
> proud and prosperous Burma.
> For these reasons, we call upon you to officially block Burma from
chairing
> ASEAN in 2006.
>
> Respectfully yours,
>