All Burma Students Democratic Organisation’s calls for

Immediate Democratic Changes In Burma

On March 2, 1962, General Ne Win took over Burma by armed might and set up a one-party-system administration, the so-called the Burmese Socialist Program Party (BSPP). In 1987, Burma was enlisted in the Least Developed Countries by the United Nations because of U Ne Win’s misrule. After 26 years, on July 25, 1988, U Ne Win resigned from the BSPP and retreated from the limelight. One of his cohorts, U Sein Lwin (a former General) took his place as Chairman of the BSPP and President of Burma.

On August 8, 1988 (four 8’s day ‘General Uprising’), the people of Burma led by the students came out on the streets and showed their desire for democracy and human rights. U Sein Lwin brutally cracked down on the peaceful demonstrators and killed thousands of his own people. On August 12, 1988, Dr. Maung Maung replaced him. The nation wide people uprisings continued, the BSPP collapsed and anarchy reigned in Burma.

With a view to maintain law and order, we, the Burmese students tried to form an interim government comprising of the former and popular politicians including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as called for by the then situation in Burma. Seizing the opportunity, on September 18, 1988, the new order of military generals, a junta known as State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) seized the power of the country and killed thousands of people. With a view to pacify the people the junta promised to hold multi-party general elections, within two years.

On May 27, 1990, the SLORC known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC - today) held the general elections. The National League for Democracy (NLD) party won by a landslide victory (82%-392 out of 485 seats). The military regime ignored the election results, the desire of the people of Burma, and refused to hand over power to the elected people's representatives as promised.

And instead, to impose a military dynastic rule on the country, the SLORC/SPDC has intimidated, harassed and imprisoned hundreds of elected representatives and thousands of people including students and Buddhist monks as known world wide.

As entrusted by the people, via the mandate given in the form of the election results, the NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has given a deadline for the convening of a people's parliament on August 21, 1998. The SPDC military junta ignored the call again and instead, put into detention more than two thousand people including hundreds of elected people's representatives.

In line with their obligation, 251 elected representatives of the 1990 polls have formed the Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP) comprising of ten members including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, on September 16, 1998. The CRPP thus became the highest legitimate authority in Burma, as it has been given mandate by 251 members of parliament out of 485 elected and entrusted with the task of convening a parliament to work out measures for the prosperity and peace in the country.

As the SPDC has been waging a campaign of terror and detention, the CRPP could not yet convene a people's parliament, as the elected representatives are being still held in detention in the so-called 'government guest house' since May 1998. The situation in Burma has been steadily deteriorating day by day till today.

Most heinous of all was the SPDC’s audacity to bargain the abolishing of the CRPP in exchange for the release of detained representatives in the ‘guest house’. This is tantamount to kidnapping and it is obvious that the SPDC has been holding the representatives as hostages.

U Win Aung, the Foreign Minister of SPDC regime, revealed on Tuesday 27, April, 1999 that SPDC would release detained Members of Parliament -elect and members of NLD, if the CRPP is dissolved. At that time, more than 150 people's representatives are being detained as the hostages and the CRPP must be scrapped in exchange as ransom.

As warranted under this chaotic situation, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the national leader of Burma, has urged the United Nations and the international community to take profound action on the wayward regime, the real terrorist. And also, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly called for 'dialogue' with the SPDC regime, despite its illegal status, out of convenience and in the interest of the country.

As we are obligated and in line with our vow on our country, we, members of All Burma Students Democratic Organisation (ABSDO) and Burmese community including Australian supporters have already staged a show of recognition and support on the CRPP as the highest authority of Burma (in solidarity with our brethren in 17 countries) in front of the SPDC embassy in Canberra on September 9, 1999 (Free Burma 9999 Global Day of Action).

On the other hand, with a view to preempt people uprising in Burma on 9/9/99, the military regime has detained more than 600 student and political activists who organised and participated in the movement of 'Free Burma 9999'.

Since CRPP was formed, the SPDC has been increasing its oppression and trying its best to break up the non-violent democracy movement. The International Communities and United Nations, which have already recognised the 1990 election result, are still in lack of support and recognition on the CRPP. Furthermore, there is no pressure and firm action on the SPDC. The political situation of Burma has been deadlocked. The several situations of the country have reached to the worst.

On October 1, 1999, a 5-member group of Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors (VBSW) staged an armed daring daylight siege on the SPDC embassy in Bangkok. They demanded unconditional and immediate release of all political detainees in Burma, and enter into meaningful dialogue with the CRPP. For this show of resolve, dedication, and courage inherent in our nation - as evidenced in history, and recurring in our generation - we supported and respectfully bowed to our comrades for their action ended peacefully, even though their demands were not met.

After the embassy siege, Burmese military regime has closed along the Burma-Thailand border and more than ten thousands of Burmese military forces have been attacking the base of God's Army (200 ethnic Karen freedom fighters led by 12-year old twin brothers) and its surrounding areas where the five VBSW students are hiding. And also, the Thai army has fired with heavy launchers. As a result of both Burmese and Thai army's attack, more than 300 villagers and members of God's Army were wounded and thousand of refugees fled to Thailand. However, Thai army blocked the border and forced to repatriate them to the killing fields, inhumanely.

As the desperate situation called for, 10 members of God's Army seized the Ratchaburi hospital on January 24, 2000 and demanded the followings to the Thai government.

• To provide medical aid for the wounded villagers and their members,
• To stop shelling by Thai army,
• To allow the villagers and their members across into Thai side as refugees,
• To stop the repatriation of refugees along the border and
• To free them back to their base.

However, those demands were not met and instead, all of the hostage-takers were killed by Thai commandos. According to the witnesses, Thai commandos executed the hostage-takers in cold blood after they surrendered. The bodies were secretly buried without forensic examinations. Therefore, we have already demanded to the Thai government to investigate and reveal the true incident immediately.

As obvious, the dedication and resolve of the Burmese students and ethnic nationals are seen to be continuously stretching to the limits. In good faith and sincerity, we have an obligation to inform the international community and specifically, the SPDC in Rangoon, that there will be more shows of dedication and resolve on our part in the days to come. Of course and doubtless, more dangers and unwarranted dire and sorrowful consequences will accompany in the future undertakings of the Burmese students, as it is inevitable.

In case, these scenarios should come to past, we will certainly hold the SPDC in particular, the international community in general and specifically, the United Nations, to answer for the resulting dire and unwarranted consequences. Therefore, with a view to preempt further unwarranted and dire consequences, that would inevitably arise in the very near future, as obvious, we, hereby, solemnly and strongly urge the international community to focus on Burma’s plight and intervene in the present chaos, to affect a people’s government in Burma.

In addition, we urge the Australian authorities to take note of the up and coming flash point for disaster – Burma – in the region, after the present crisis, East Timor, that will certainly jeopardize the stability of the region. At present, as Australia has been entrusted to head in the stabilization of the region (East Timor) by the international community, it has an equal obligation to review its present policy on Burma, sitting on the fence as spoken by our national leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in the interest of the regional security.

Central Committee

All Burma Students Democratic Organisation (Australia)

Dated: 2 February, 2000