“Including Burma in the UNSC agenda is indeed a major victory for the International democratic community and civil society movements who have been campaigning for the return of democracy in Burma for so many years now. But let us not be complacent. What we have won is just a single battle in this tedious war against the illegal regime in Rangoon.”
“Including Burma in the UNSC agenda is indeed a major victory for the International democratic community and civil society movements who have been campaigning for the return of democracy in Burma for so many years now. But let us not be complacent. What we have won is just a single battle in this tedious war against the illegal regime in Rangoon.”
Thus said Gus Miclat of the Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) and convenor of Free Burma Coalition-Philippines (FBC-Phils) after the United Nations Security Council formally put the situation of Burma on its agenda. Miclat also called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to meanwhile follow the UN’s lead and also take its pariah member to task. The Philippines is the current Chair of the ASEAN.
Burma, ruled by a succession of military juntas for almost three decades now has drawn international condemnation for its gross human rights violations that include imprisoning hundreds of political opponents, including Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, use of child soldiers, rape, forced labor and production of illegal drugs.
The UNSC voted by 10 for and 4 against with one abstention to focus on the situation in the pariah Southeast Asian nation of Burma. Suu Kyi has been detained for over 10 years.
Ten nations, including the United States, voted in favor of adding Burma to the Council agenda, while China, Russia, Qatar and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) opposed the move claiming that the generals in Burma have exerted efforts in solving its problems and the situation there does not pose a threat to international security — a requisite for one country to be included in the agenda of the UN’s most powerful organ. Tanzania abstained.
“The move of the UNSC is highly commendable. Finally, the Council succumbed to the clamor of the international community for immediate reforms in Burma,” Miclat said.
He added, “But we urge the Council to follow through with concrete actions and not just talk about it in the cloistered halls of the UN. For those dissenting voters, especially China and Russia, we call on them to review their stance and understand the actual situation in Burma.”
Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya said it was “preposterous” to put a country on the council’s agenda because of issues like human rights, refugees, drugs and AIDS.
“May we remind Ambassador Wang Guangya that it is “more preposterous” for a country like China that purports to champion the weak to support an utterly illegal regime. The issue of human rights should not be dismissed as a non issue as Amb. Wang Guangya wants us to believe. China is saying the move is inappropriate without them offering even a single “appropriate” action for reforms in Burma. Now that is preposterous,” Miclat argued.
Reacting to the US government’s aggressive campaign to put Burma in the UNSC, Miclat stressed that the world is watching the US action. “Given its own atrocious record in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, campaigning for Burma to be included in the Council’s agenda on the basis of human rights is clearly not its pure intention knowing the US government’s interest to contain China and woo or install a friendly regime in Rangoon. We should not be naïve about the larger geo-politics of the U.S. apparent “bleeding heart” for Burma, but we count our blessings.”
The Burmese junta took power in 1988 after crushing the democracy movement. In 1990, it refused to hand over power when Suu Kyi’s political party, the National League for Democracy won a landslide election victory.
“Knowing the junta, it will not easily admit defeat. It might even rile against this latest UN action by becoming even more distant and difficult. But we at the civil society movement with our partners inside Burma will continue our efforts. The ASEAN, where Burma is a member should now make its own a bold move to take their recalcitrant member to task or else it will find itself in the dustbin of history. The junta had it coming,” Miclat concluded.
For more inquiries pls. call Gani Abunda at 911-0205 or 435-2900; for interview: Mr. Gus Miclat (63) (82) 299-2575 or 299-2052.
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