Burmese monks and students lashes at the UN for back stepping

Rangoon, 01 August, (Asiantribune.com) All Burma monks and student have endorsed the views expressed 5 Members of Burmese Parliament – elect that United Nations is stepping back from its benchmarks, which is the realization of an all party-inclusive, democratic, participatory and transparent process of national reconciliation. Instead of working for these benchmarks, they have been allowing the Burmese military regime to embark on its unilateral and brutal path and forcing democracy forces to live in an untenable position.

All Burma Monks’ Alliance, the 88 Generation Students and All Burma Federation of Student Unions in their joint statement categorically stated that they fully support they statement issued on 18 July, by Members of Parliament-elect, Members of Committee Representing the Peoples’ Parliament and Members of States and Divisions Organizing Committees, in which they bravely declared that they would not recognize and accept the 2010 election and they would not participate in that election.

The full text of their joint statement is given below:

Role of the United Nations in Burma/Myanmar

(1) We are encouraged by the statement issued by Members of Parliament-elect, Members of Committee Representing the Peoples’ Parliament and Members of States and Divisions Organizing Committees, dated 18 July 2008, in which they bravely declared that they would not recognize and accept the 2010 election and they would not participate in that election. We support the courageous act of Members of Parliament, elected by the people of Burma in the 1990 general elections, who deserve to hold the offices as mandated by the people.

(2) We also share the concerns of Members of Parliament, expressed in the open letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Permanent Representatives of the members of the UN Security Council, dated 21 July 2008, signed by 5 Members of Parliament on behalf of all Members of Parliament-elect. In the letter, they correctly stressed that the United Nations is stepping back from its benchmarks, which is the realization of an all party-inclusive, democratic, participatory and transparent process of national reconciliation. Instead of working for these benchmarks, they have been allowing the Burmese military regime to embark on its unilateral and brutal path and forcing democracy forces to live in an untenable position. This is totally true and we also want Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to review his mission and correct it in time before he sends his special envoy to Burma.

(3) We understand that the Secretary-General does not have the power to make the Burmese military regime listen to his voice. However, we don’t underestimate his moral authority, which he used courageously to defend the rights of the people in Zimbabwe. He decisively called the run-off presidential election in Zimbabwe illegitimate. We expect that he will similarly employ his moral authority in Burma/Myanmar, stand up for the rights of the people of Burma/Myanmar and call the outcome of the Referendum in May illegitimate. He should recognize that the people of Burma/Myanmar do not have the right to express their true and genuine will under the brutal military regime.

(4) We also understand that UN Security Council has failed to take effective action on Burma/Myanmar, as obstructed by two veto yielding members, China and Russia. However, if the Secretary-General openly and strongly asks the Security Council take action on Burma/Myanmar, we believe that China and Russia might change their position. We hope that the Secretary-General will employ his diplomatic skills and moral authority to convince the members of the Security Council to play more an important role in our country, and make the military regime listen to their authoritative voice.

(5) However, we are witnessing the opposite. The Secretary-General sent his special envoy to Burma/Myanmar to convince the military regime to engage in a meaningful and time-bound dialogue. To our surprise, the special envoy came to Burma/Myanmar and as soon as he left the plane, he became virtually a prisoner of the regime. He was placed at a regime guesthouse, his schedule was totally controlled by the regime, and his meetings with the Burmese regime was reduced to low-level officials, and these low-level officials humiliated him and flatly rejected all of his recommendations. He also was allowed to meet with people only whom the regime agreed.

Instead of convincing the regime with forceful voice and strength of moral authority, it seems that he was convinced by the regime that there was no other way, except to accept their unilateral act as it is. When he went back to New York and reported to the international community, he acted as he had achieved something and he would achieve more. Actually, he is misleading the world with false hopes.

(6) Therefore, we agree and support the claims of the Burmese Members of Parliament, who are the legitimate leaders of our country. This is the time for the Secretary-General to declare that the seven-step roadmap of the Burmese military regime is no longer relevant and the constitution is not legitimate. We also hope that Secretary-General will call for the UN Security Council to take effective action on Burma before more people die. For us, there will be no more election without implementing and recognizing the 1990 election results.

- Asian Tribune -