National Campaign for Food and Freedom
Statement of Burmese democratic forces and supporters around the world,
Calling for an immediate international intervention for food and freedoms in Burma
By creating a coalition of willing
May 28, 2008
We, Burmese democratic organizations – along with Burma campaign groups – around the world are calling for an immediate international intervention in Burma, reminding the international community that this is the time to bring a change in the military-ruled country.
We strongly criticize the United Nations and Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) for their repeated failure to live up to the expectation of international community in providing food and freedoms for Burmese people.
Burmese have suffered again and again under repeated ASEAN and UN's good intentioned but ill fated mediations. ASEAN and UN are simply no match for cunning and cruel Burmese generals who think nothing of breaking their promises. In the past, the end result of the ASEAN and UN failures were only imprisonments of thousands of political activists including our leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Some of those prisoners died in custody. However, the number of deaths from the current crisis will be a thousand times larger than previous crises.
Five days after an apparent agreement by the Supremo General Than Shwe, there is no concrete result on the ground. There are even more restrictions for Burmese donors let alone foreign donors. Even Burmese ex-pat physicians who are planning mercy medical missions using their own resources are subjected to a lengthy visa process.
The regime is using police and armed forces not to help those cyclone victims but to force them back to their villages without any assistance. We know how the regime is going to play the game. There will be more meetings and open up a bit each time just to string along the UN.
More people are dying everyday. This is time for ASEAN and UN to admit its failure and let French, EU, US navy and international aid agencies handle the situation. At this time, the junta has extended the house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi illegally after they exhausted the five year period. They have not shown any goodwill towards their own suffering citizens, political prisoners or the world community. There is no reason to believe that the junta will start to change as a result of more negotiation. Concrete effective action, whose time is way overdue, is the only recourse left.
We demand that UN and ASEAN stop the mediation NOW.
All the current available information from the international experts indicates that thousands of the cyclone victims are facing the second wave of death due to the outbreak of diseases. UN and ASEAN have clearly demonstrated the world that they were unable to persuade the Burmese military regime to save the lives of cyclone victims. As such, we request the Nations of the International Community willing to act upon the principle of “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)," to proceed with their noble intention to save the thousands of lives before it is too late.
Undersigned:
Dr. Cynthia Maung (Burma Medical Association) Thailand Win7@loxinfo.co.th Tel: 66-55-544495
Dr Khin Saw Win (Alice) (Burma Medical Association) Canada Alice.khin@ualberta.ca Tel: 780-4924547/780-9529877
Tin Maung Htoo (Canada) Canadian Friends of Burma www.cfob.org Tel: 613-237-8056 tinmaunghtoo@cfob.org
Dr. Raymond Tint Way (Australia) Concerned Burmese Physicians and Professionals www.cmpp-burma.blogspot.com Mobile 61 0416220208 E mail jostint@hotmail.com
Dr Ko K Lay (UK) Concerned Burmese Physicians and Professionals www.cmpp-burma.blogspot.com Tel: 00 44 07790 427271 drkokolay@yahoo.co.uk
Dr. Soe Naung (Jamaica) Concerned Burmese Physicians and Professionals www.cmpp-burma.blogspot.com Tel: 876-995-2875 soehtwe@cwjamaica.com
Dr. Aye Min (USA) Concerned Burmese Physicians and Professionals www.cmpp-burma.blogspot.com Tel: 804-512-4669 radiomin@gmail.com
Dr. Nay Aung Kyaw (Malaysia) Concerned Burmese Physicians and Professionals www.cmpp-burma.blogspot.com Tel: 60122653392 (mobile) E-mail: ksgyaw@gmail.com
Moe Thee Zun (USA) Democratic Federation of Burma wefightwewin@gmail.com
Ar Kar Soe (USA) Anti-Dictatorship People’s Freedom Movement www.adpfmburma.com arkarsoee@yahoo.com Tel: 301-213-0605
Yin Aye (USA) Democratic Burmese Students Organization (USA) yindbso@hotmail.com Tel: 301-905-7591
Tin Maung Thaw (General Secretary) (USA) Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma 703-723-4855 tinthaw@yahoo.com
Min Yan Naing (Burma) Generation Wave gwbobmarley@gmail.com
Ko Ko Aung (Japan) Democractic Federation of Burma (Japan) Tel: +81-9015062893 kokoaung_dfbjp@yahoo.com
Kyaw Kyaw Soe (Japan) League for Democracy in Burma (Japan) Tel: +81-9060314394 sayarkway@hotmail.com
Khin Sandi (USA) Women on the Move for Burma Tel: 917 445 9222 freeassk@yahoo.com
Ko Thant Zin Myint (USA)
International Campaign for Burma (New York)
Tel: 347-229-4309 icbnewyork@gmail.com
Ko Myo (USA) 88 Generation Students (Exile) Tel: 347-668-5046 http://www.pbase.com/komyoe88 E-mail: komyoe_art@yahoo.com
Aung Sa Oversea Burmese Patriots (Singapore) aungsayapyi@gmail.com Tel: +65-9487-4413
Taw Thar Gyi (Burma) Democratic Front of the Patriots (HQ) Mindfulness07@gmail.com
Shwe Htee (USA) Nonviolent Empowerment Organization shwehtee@yahoo.com Tel: 571-235-4035
Dr. Thi Ha (USA) Burmese Democracy Forum (Fort Wayne - Indiana) Tel: 260-602-1876
Dong Khup (USA) Chin Freedom Coalition Tel: 443-629-3329
Athein & Zaw Min Htwe (88 Generation) (USA)
Walk for Freedom
Tel: 971 285 7399
Athein168@msn.com
Thurasoe2005@yahoo.com
Aung New Oo (Canada) Burmese Students Democratic Organization Tel: 416-262-5447 Aungoo205@yahoo.com
Thway Ni
Burmese Bloggers without Borders (http://bbwob.blogspot.com/)
thwayni@gmail.com
Aung Tin (Canada)
Chairman (NLD-LA Canada)
Tel: 647 343 7871
uaungtin@yahoo.com
Yin Htway (Thailand)
Joint Secretary
Burma Political Prisoner's Union (http://bppuweb.bizhat.com/)
yinhtway@gmail.com
Tel: 0845755416
Guiding Star (Burma) contact: niknayman.niknayman@gmail.com www.niknayman.blogspot.com
Ko Myat Soe (USA) Justice for Human Rights in Burma ( http://www.jhburma.org/ ) msoe9872@aol.com Tel: 260-615-0575
U Than Aung (Canada) Burma Watch International Tel: (780) 439-7555 Cell:(780) 953-9877 www.burmawatch.org
Dr. Win Naing (UK) Burmese Democratic Community Tel: 0208 2067340 walaynaing@aol.com
6 comments :
I like ur GCR blog.Ur r not changing ur way and revolution like as 88.Go ahead. I support u.
I also agreed ur campaing.
I support your camping.
Dear Ko Moe Thee Zun,
At first sight, I thought you are too much to complain about UN and ASEAN. But at second thought I realized that your stand is RIGHT. So I support your group’s campaign and try to post the following comment_
Get out ASEAN !
http://sanooaung.wordpress.com/2008/06/01/get-out-asean/
“BURMA: ASEAN Steps in Where Others May Not Tread“, Marwaan Macan-Markar’s article in IPS news with my COMMENTS in brackets
BANGKOK, May 31 (IPS) – (Only four weeks after) Cyclone Nargis swept through the populous Irrawaddy Delta in Burma, a regional effort to help the victims is slowly grinding into shape.
(I cut out the excuses) The notoriously secretive junta, which had placed hurdles in the way of any outside intervention (direct help) during the first three weeks after the cyclone struck in the early hours of May 3.
”A Herculean task has been thrust upon us, the U.N. and ASEAN, to bring humanitarian assistance for the cyclone victims,” Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of ASEAN, told journalists this week. (Actually ASEAN and UN are used as a shield to protect the invasion of US and French navy ships)
”ASEAN and the U.N. and our co-partners will not fail the victims of cyclone Nargis.” (No, UN and ASEAN are failing the Burmese people and the victims of cyclone Nargis)
”We have been able to establish a space, a humanitarian space, however small to engage with the Myanmar authorities,” he added. ”That humanitarian space needs to be sustained through political decisions,through political flexibility.” (Actually useless space, which is shielding the SPDC. What engagement? Never-ending destructive engagement. No progress at all. Daw Suu and all the political leaders are still in detention. What political flexibility from SPDC? They are ding 100% of the things they want. )
These are brave words (Actually coward’s words trying to pretend as brave), indeed, for Surin, a former Thai foreign minister, given the way ASEAN has had to endure the troubles brought on it since Burma joined the bloc over a decade ago.
ASEAN had stood by its troublesome member in the interest of regional solidarity, throwing a cloak to shield it from international condemnation and sanctions stemming from the junta’s growing list of human rights violations. (Even ASEAN representative Foreign Ministers were snubbed in Burma. And SPDC refused to accept ASEAN’s efforts of mediation and accepted UN.)
Yet at times, even ASEAN’s protective policy, driven by the principles of ”non-interference” (Actual this should be called LACK OF PRINCIPLE or lack of any moral fibre) in the domestic affairs of a member-nation, appeared to have its limits. (The limit only ended at the GREED and selfishness of ASEAN)
There have been calls in recent years by some of ASEAN’s outspoken leaders to throw Burma out of the group when the abuse of the local population by the junta went too far. (Talk only to earn credit. No action after all. They are trying to be looking good in front of International Media. Actually there is NO ONE leader in ASEAN who is sincere.)
No wonder some critics of the junta in the region (RIGHT. They are correct, not wrong) worry that the military regime will try to abuse the goodwill ASEAN (Actually ASEAN never had good will on Burmese people but the BEST WILL for the SPDC Junta only) has extended to Burma in the same way that it has done before.
”The Burmese regime is well aware that ASEAN’s leaders will be soft on them than other governments in the international community. (Yes, correct)
The junta has hoodwinked ASEAN before and it could happen again,” says Roshan Jason, spokesman for the ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Myanmar Caucus, a group of South-east Asian parliamentarians championing political reform in Burma. (Yes, correct)
”ASEAN’s credibility is now on the line by stepping into this role,” (Yes. Correct.) he added during a telephone interview from Kuala Lumpur.
”The regional leaders have to show political will and to act tough with the Burmese regime to achieve results. They cannot let the junta manipulate the situation by taking cover behind the policy of non-interference.” (Actually ASEAN would never have political will and never able to act tough with the Burmese regime as they themselves are copying the SPDC’s methods to suppress their own citizens. They are not better but just pretending to be better only.)
For now, Surin wants to give the Burmese regime, led by the reclusive strongman, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, the benefit of the doubt. (We have no doubt that SPDC is no use but trying steal the donated money and continue to rule Burma with the iron fist)
It is necessary to help build confidence and trust for the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force to make headway. (It is shameful that we all Burmese people have lost all the confidence and trust for the ASEAN)
”We have detected a difference, we have detected a positive difference, and we hope this can be sustained,” he said. (What difference? Not at all.)
According to ASEAN’s plans, a rapid assessment team will survey the terrain in South-western Burma that was devastated by the country’s worst natural disaster to spell out the shape of relief efforts to aid the victims. That report is due in mid-June. (Ha, Ha. Only after few more thousand of victims’ death?)
But for that, proper assessments of the disaster areas have to be done soon after the disaster. That was the case when the IFRC responds to post-disaster situations, such as the December 2004 tsunami.
”Proper assessments have not been done to help figure out the needs, unlike the tsunami,” Sparrow added. ”There are still areas where we have no access.”
• The human toll from the Cyclone Nargis ranges from 130,000 deaths to as high as 300,000 deaths.
• The people affected and in need of relief in the Irrawaddy Delta range from 2.5 million to four million.
• Such high numbers stem from the force of the storm, whipping up wind speeds of 190 km per hour and a wall of sea water that rose 3.5 km high. It affected an 82,000 square km area that has the highest population density in the country.
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