Shan Herald Agency for News |
| President Thein Sein Should Reveal Role in ’88 Massacre Posted: 05 Aug 2014 01:29 AM PDT MEDIA RELEASE FROM BURMA CAMPAIGN UK For Immediate Release Monday 4th August 2014 As the 26th anniversary of the 88 massacre and crackdown approaches, Burma Campaign UK today launches a campaign calling on President Thein Sein to publish his full army record and reveal his role during this time. When he became President, Thein Sein described the massacre and crackdown as having 'saved the nation'. A leaked US embassy diplomatic cable dated 20th October 2004 said Thein Sein 'distinguished' himself cracking down against the 1988 uprising. It stated: 'Major Thein Sein served as commander of Light Infantry Division (LID)-55, one of the elite organizations loyal to the Burmese Socialist Program Party (BSPP). In that capacity, he distinguished himself, as did Soe Win, in the crackdown against the 1988 uprising in support of democracy.' Burma Campaign UK is asking people to email President Thein Sein, asking him to publish his full army record, including the role he played in crushing the uprising on 8th August 1988. The people of Burma have the right to know the past actions of the President. The email action is online here: President Thein Sein has been praised by the international community, including the British government, as a reformer. Yet horrific human rights abuses have continued under his rule. Now that sanctions have been lifted and aid and trade is flowing into Burma, reforms are going into reverse, with new crackdowns on media freedom, a doubling of the number of political prisoners, and increased repression against the Rohingya ethnic minority. "If President Thein Sein has nothing to hide, he has no reason not make his full army record available for everyone in Burma to see," said Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK. "There has been virtually no public scrutiny of President Thein Sein's past. If President Thein Sein has been involved in massacring students protesting on the streets of Rangoon, is he really the kind of person who can be trusted to bring democracy and human rights to Burma?" For more information contact Anna Roberts on 07950849529. Burma Campaign UK's briefing paper on President Thein Sein is available here: | ||
| Japan and Norway proposed as ceasefire witnesses Posted: 05 Aug 2014 01:26 AM PDT The week-long Laiza conference of the 18 armed organizations that concluded on 31 July had proposed Japan and Norway be invited as signatory witnesses to the planned nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) signing, according to sources returning from the Sino-Burmese border.
The Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), set up by the first Laiza conference in November, had already proposed 7 other dignitaries and nations as witnesses: · Secretary General, United Nations · Secretary General, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) · United States · People's Republic of China · India · Thailand · United Kingdom Nine other resolutions passed by the Laiza conference includes: · To firmly adhere to the principle of forging a genuine federal union system based on constituent states that fully enjoy democracy, racial equality and right of self determination · Subject to acceptance by the government of Resolution # 1, the word "revolutionary" will be deleted from the title of the agreement · To adopt the title "Union Peace Conference" for the planned national conference · The Three Causes (ie. Non-disintegration of the Union, Non-disintegration of National Solidarity and Perpetuation of National Sovereignty) as proposed by the government will be designated a subject to be discussed in the planned political dialogue · The planned political dialogue will be participated by the government, ethnic armed organizations and registered political parties including "appropriate democratic forces" · "National level" political dialogue will be replaced with "national level and multinational level" political dialogue · "Transitional arrangements" will be part of the NCA · The NCCT is empowered to amend the NCA draft without prejudice to the basic political to the basic political principles laid down by the Law Khee Lar conference (In January 2014) · Signatory organizations must meet the requirements as set out by the Law Khee Lar conference: being signatories to the Laiza conference resolutions, having concluded ceasefire with the government, possessing the required attributes of an ethnic armed group, not being an armed group under the control of the government and its military and not being an organization fighting against a foreign government "Both sides still harbor deep suspicions against each other," Nai Hong Sa, leader of the NCCT was quoted in his report to the conference. "Each side is concerned the other side will take advantage of the ceasefire agreement to expand and build up its own forces." A pre-meeting has been held between the NCCT and the government's Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) in Myitkyina, 3 August, prior to the next meeting that has been tentatively proposed between 15-20 August, according to a source. According to VOA, both sides have expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the pre-meeting. There are still 3 sticky points that need further deliberation, reports Kamayut Media, quoting the UPWC's special adviser U Hla Maung Shwe. Meanwhile, The Irrawaddy has pointed out that one of them could be the eligibility of some armed groups to be accepted as NCA signatories. The Wa National Organization (WNO), for instance, is not recognized by the government. Eleven adds that both sides believe the draft could be 95% or fully finalized during the upcoming meeting. 17 August is the 3rdanniversary of the President's invitation to all the armed opposition movements for peace talks. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Shan Herald Agency for News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.