The ASEAN Foreign Ministers have come out with a strong statement in the United Nations demanding the Myanmar military junta stop using violence against demonstrators and voiced “revulsion” at the killings at Yangon.
However, the time for just strong statements is past as it has been overtaken by the brutality of the violent crackdown in Burma in the past two days and concrete ASEAN and international action is urgently needed to ensure that the 40th ASEAN anniversary at the 13th ASEAN Summit in Singapore in November and the 10th anniversary of Myanmar’s admission into ASEAN are not marred by another dastardly repeat of the 1988 massacre where thousands pro-democracy activisits and supporters were killed by the Myanmese military.
The Myanmar military junta has confirmed that nine people, including a Japanese journalist, had been killed in the brutal crackdown of the peaceful demonstrators led by monks in the past two days, although the true Burma death toll may never be known.
A source from the National League for Democracy inside Burma, citing hospital contacts, said 30 bodies had been brought to the hospital on Wednesday alone.
Having admitted Myanmar as a member of ASEAN with the reciprocal understanding that the Myanmar military junta would seriously embark on national reconciliation and democratization in Burma, ASEAN leaders cannot just wring their hands in impotence and revulsion with another round of violent crackdown of peaceful protestors in Burma.
I urgently call on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is in New York to participate in the annual United Nations General Assembly debate to place Burma as the top priority of his address and, together with other ASEAN leaders, speak up in United Nations to rally international support for a special debate in the General Assembly and emergency meeting of Security Council on the violent crackdown of peaceful protests by Myanmar military junta.
They should work with China, India, Russia, United States and European Union to craft a joint response to end the spiral of violence by the Myanmese military.
United Nations Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon should fly direct to Yangon to intercede with the Myanmese military junta and not just depend on his special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
#1 by toniXe on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 11:07 am
but he gotta wait for 4th floor speech distorters first right ? better ask Najib or Nazri to give the speech lah , at least some UN pr=eople can also laugh
#2 by RealWorld on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 11:17 am
Gunning down innocent civilians is wrong.
The US, as the world superpower must step in and prevent further killings.
#3 by gana on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 11:55 am
At least for the 1st time in his life time he can start to do some good thing by voicing up the uncivilised and ruthless action by Myanmar’s army,,,,,but wait then he will traped into his own political milege as he knows better how the UMNO-control goverment is used to marginalise and discrimate against non-bumis.
#4 by AntiRacialDiscrimination on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 12:27 pm
How could the PM speak out against other country’s policy if he himself practices racial discrimination policy in his own country?
When other countries leaders commented about the NEP, the UMNO politicians (especially the terrorist styled Education Minister and the jobless Son-in-law of the PM) went mad.
The PM should contempt the NEP first if he wanted other countries to respect him.
#5 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 12:46 pm
Abdullah could be sleeping at the UN too.
Can someone tell him to wake up & do something sensible for once.
#6 by badak on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 12:46 pm
Just heard that the Junta is sending a team of TOP leaders to Malaysia, to learn crowd control from our very own FRU,
#7 by smeagroo on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 1:37 pm
AAB shld bring along some toothpicks to keep his eyelids open.
#8 by smeagroo on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 1:38 pm
Heck, if he cant do something great for his own country dont expect him to stand up for other countries. And if he does then he is just a plain hypocrite. Pls tackle our own issues at hand first b4 meddling into others.
DONT BE A HERO!
#9 by Jamesy on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 1:41 pm
Violence breeds violence. Another 1988 massacre in the making.
International communities should rally behind the Burmese people and end their cry for justice, oppressive and iron-fist rule by the military regime once and for all. The Burmese people have suffered enough for the past few decades and it’s high time to impose international sanction on the regime, ASEAN included. ASEAN members have to make a stand in this matter and expel Myanmar would be a better option.
Military actions against the regime is the last option. But I doubt it, as China wouldn’t allowed this to happened.
Probably international communities should boycott the Beijing Summer Olympics next year to send a strong message to China to cease being the backer of the regime.
But again I doubt this will ever happened.
#10 by Jamesy on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 1:46 pm
Drastic action needs drastic measure.
#11 by Jamesy on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 1:49 pm
And drastic measure needs drastic remedies.
#12 by azk on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 1:55 pm
Burma is just follow what Badawi has instructed the police to do in Tgannu : Shoot the people.
#13 by lakshy on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 1:57 pm
“uuuuhhhhhh…..ada masalah di Myanmar? Itu saya tak tahu. Biar lah mereka selesaikan masalah sendiri. Nanti kita di tuduh kacau pihak dalam negeri mereka!”
#14 by Bigjoe on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 2:02 pm
When all government in Asia practise some sort of authoritharianism, what credibility do they have to criticise Burma? That they are not as authoritharian as them?
Myanmar cannot hope for help from ASEAN or any other Asian country. Whether they or we like it or not Western liberalism is what will free Myanmar and cause change and our ideals and ideas won’t.
Not accepting that, we here in Asia is part of the problem and contributors to the evil that is happening now in Myanmar..
#15 by verbal-lash on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 9:24 pm
AAB was busy thinking and speaking well of Ahmadnejad, Iran’s head of state at the UN when everyone is condemning him for his undercover nuclear activities and secret plans for genocide. He is really incorrigibly stupid, probably too sleepy to know what was going on at the meet. Just because he is a Muslim too, he indirectly acknowledge a brotherhood with that potential terrorist. Watch out the world. AAB has aligned us to a terrorist country. So much for foreign investments, Iskandar, northern corridor, etc., etc.
#16 by UFOne on Friday, 28 September 2007 - 11:48 pm
The world should support the unconditional release of Miss Aung San Su Chi. Too much time have been wasted since she is elected to be the head of Burma and yet she is powerless. If the world believes in democracy as it should be, the world should unite with the Burmese people and demand that the military release her.
#17 by undergrad2 on Saturday, 29 September 2007 - 6:02 am
There is such a thing more precious and it is known as ‘sovereignty’.