The United Nations Security Council has called for the release of Burmese pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners in Burma and expressed its concern over her current trial.
In a unanimous statement, the 15-council members expressed their concern about the “political impact” of the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi charging her with violating the terms of her house arrest.
What is Malaysia and ASEAN doing to express in the strongest possible terms that Aung San Suu Kyi should be released on Wednesday May 27 on the expiry of her six-year illegal detention or the Myanmar military junta must face condemnation by the other ASEAN states?
There are two important international meetings in the next few days where the Suu Kyi question will feature prominently in their agenda, the Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers’ (ASEM) meeting in Hanoi on Monday and Tuesday to be followed by the ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers Meeting in Pnom Penh on Wednesday and Thursday.
ASEAN should not just be at the receiving end at such international meetings, merely responding to demands that ASEAN should put pressure on the Myanmar military junta to release Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners as well as embark on a genuine democratization and national reconciliation process.
ASEAN should make it clear to the Myanmar military junta that with Suu Kyi being dragged through a sham trial and facing another five-year detention, ASEAN has reached the end of her patience.
The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) will meet in Bangkok tomorrow to demand that ASEAN governments convey in the strongest possible terms to Myanmar junta that Suu Kyi should be released on Wednesday May 27 on the expiry of the six-year illegal detention coupled with a “get-tough” approach if the Myanmar military junta continues to be unyielding and recalcitrant.
#1 by chengho on Sunday, 24 May 2009 - 7:56 pm
you need to engage China……the super power…. not even US….
#2 by alaneth on Sunday, 24 May 2009 - 9:10 pm
You cannot do anything. Sanctions won’t work. – very sad to say.
Even if China forces Burma, they still won’t do anything.
If you can’t get Nizar back thru the legal channels (courts) in Malaysia, then forget about Burma. The only thing the UN/US can do is to use force & kidnapping the leaders behind it, like what they have done in Afghanistan. But I’m against all wars, killings & any form of injury. So nothing much can be done. ASEAN also cannot do anything.
#3 by anna brella on Monday, 25 May 2009 - 12:06 am
(Information extracted mainly from the CIA’s public website)
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Established – 8 August 1967
Aim – to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia
Members – (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Dialogue partners – (11) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP; note – ASEAN promotes cooperation with Pakistan in some areas of mutual interest
Observers – (1) Papua New Guinea
MEMBERS
Indonesia – republic (democracy); developing country; developing 8
Thailand – constitutional monarchy (democracy); developing country
Philippines – republic (democracy); developing country
Singapore – parliamentary republic (pseudo-democracy); developed country status; advanced economy; Commonwealth member
Malaysia – constitutional monarchy (federal pseudo-democracy); developing country; developing 8; Commonwealth member
Brunei – constitutional sultanate (absolute monarchy); per capita GDP is amongst the highest in Asia; Commonwealth member
Cambodia – multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy (pseudo-democracy; developing country
Vietnam – communist state (dictatorship)
Laos – communist state (dictatorship) developing country
Burma – military junta (dictatorship) developing country
ASEAN MOTTO: One Vision, One Identity, One Community
Yeah, right!
That wayang kulit motto/goal is as attainable as I believe immortality is to the human race right now!
ASEAN will NOT help free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi because she, being a staunch, unrelenting democrat, is as much a threat to some of the current member governments (and their without political credibility and respect pseudo-leaders) as she is to the SLORC/SPDC dictatorship.
The UN is a lame duck on this matter because of the continual stumbling blocks erected in its democratic resolution paths by that powerful Security Council member and national dictatorship called China which has no interest at all in freeing such an exemplary Buddhist and democrat, stateswoman leader as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi due mainly to its…er…own dirty laundry hung all over the conquered and now subjugated free nation of Tibet, and its leadership’s real fear of the real moral authority wielded by Tibet’s spiritual leader, the exiled Dalai Lama.
So, IMO, herein lies a 24-carat golden opportunity for Pakatan Rakyat to earn itself a BIG hearts and minds PR-victory for itself and for Malaysia, and a truckload of goodwill and feel-good brownie points from millions of decent people (and also their governments and wealthy ethical fund investors) all over the free, democratic world and so gain real credibility on both the international and local arenas, and also, more importantly, earn the respect the moral authority to govern as the next democratic governors of a truly free and democratic Malaysia.
Great opportunities for change which come along at just that right moment in time, such as this serendipitously ripe one dropped at one’s own doorstep to free the unjustly imprisoned Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, does not come very often nor does it knock twice!
So, Pakatan Rakyat….carpe diem!
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
#4 by pulau_sibu on Monday, 25 May 2009 - 5:50 am
1 Do you think Sri Lanka is human or inhuman?
2 Should the Tamils be given a separate independent state?
3 Is the situation of Tamils equivalent to Palestinians?
4 If Sri Lanka people are mostly Buddists, how can they kill?
#5 by monsterball on Monday, 25 May 2009 - 7:52 am
This problem can be solved by USA long ago…but no benefits..play mind their own business politics.
Smart ass Chengho said China can solve it…also right …but he ignored who started it USA can still…solve it too.
Poor Aung Sun Suu Kyi…..one of the world most loved and respected political figure.
So many meetings in the past ..for years…on her release…all talks..no success.
Now the expiry of her house arrest..on 27th May.
What will UN or USA or China do..if she is still kept under house arrest? What will they do? Talk talk talk…till she dies with no freedom….under so many advanced and powerful governments…only know how to talk and do nothing??
Mahathir did try to get her released for years with all sorts of offers…and had he succeeded he would have at least.. ONE good International feather on his cap…but he failed .
#6 by ctc537 on Monday, 25 May 2009 - 9:51 am
If the U.S. and other countries stop the game of containing China, then perhaps China would be more forthcoming to help in the release of ASSK from the military junta. It’s all because of rivalry between two major powers. The truth is the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) can’t do much whatever the ‘get-tough’ approach is. How can you expect the military junta in Yangon listen to ASEAN appeal when the regional grouping itself has among its members countries ho are staunch American allies such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and even Vietnam. Can’t you all see that Myanmar is a vital country in the US plan to encircle China. So, you see how can China allow Myanmar to be made an American ally through ASSK?
#7 by Joshua Tan Kok Hauw on Monday, 25 May 2009 - 1:27 pm
The unscrupulous Myanmar military government has to be made poor by the other nations so that it will have no funds to support its 500,000 strong soldiers.
If Myanmar government has no funds to support its soldiers it will not be able to control the protests against the government, finally the illegal junta government will be pulled down.