BurmaNet News, December 14, 2005

[Editor]

December 14, 2005 Issue # 2864

INSIDE BURMA
Mizzima: Rumours spread in Burma of political prisoner releases
Mizzima: Karenni groups offer to mediate new KNPP cease-fire
Irrawaddy: Burma named among countries jailing journalists
S.H.A.N.: Killing in ceasefire area
Xinhua: Myanmar lays down principles on executive powers of
self-administered zones

ON THE BORDER
Irrawaddy: Burmese ethnic exile group welcomes Asean stand on Burma
NMG: UNHCR welcomes Thai proposal for Burmese refugees
Mizzima: Abortion report details dangers for Burmese in border areas

ASEAN
AFP: Protesters arrested in scuffle outside East Asia Summit
AFP: Engagement the right way ahead on Myanmar, ASEAN chair says
Nation: ASEAN Summit: Burma makes Thaksin ‘uncomfortable’

REGIONAL
AFP: China says human rights in Myanmar an internal issue
New Zealand Herald: Clark prompts moves on Myanmar

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: UNSC Burma briefing scheduled for Friday

OPINION / OTHER
South China Morning Post: Asean must keep up pressure on Myanmar

PRESS RELEASE
Amnesty International: Myanmar: UN Security Council must act

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

December 14, Mizzima News
Rumours spread in Burma of political prisoner releases

Speculation has spread across Burma that some political prisoners will be
soon be released after ASEAN delegates said they were growing impatient
with the continued detention of activists in the country.

The rumours, often the result of wishful thinking in Burma, have spread
since the country's neighbours began calling for the release of
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

A National League for Democracy official in Rangoon told Mizzima, "I heard
some political prisoners from Mandalay jail were moved recently to Insein
jail in Rangoon. It could be a sign of their release".

A social activist in Mandalay said the rumours of recently moved and
soon-to-be-released prisoners had also spread in the city after ASEAN said
they would send an envoy to Burma to check on democratic reforms and meet
Aung San Suu Kyi.

Burma has come under unprecedented pressure recently with United Nation
Security Council agreeing last week to its first closed-door briefing on
the situation in the country.

As information in Burma is heavily censored, political gossip and rumour
is rife. Many people say rumours are more likely to be true than official
government statements.

But in this case, some observers believe talk could be a false alarm.

"It is totally impossible," said former political prisoner Tate Naing from
the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners of Burma.

"International and UN groups have demanded the release of political
prisoners many times. The UN General Assembly's resolutions demanding the
release of all political prisoners in Burma number 27 but the SPDC (State
Peace and Development Council) has ignored all of them," he said.

According to Amnesty International there are about 1150 political
prisoners in Burma's notorious prisons.

____________________________________

December 14, Mizzima News
Karenni groups offer to mediate new KNPP cease-fire - Kanyamaw

The Karenni Nationalities People's Liberation Front and a Karenni Catholic
pastor have offered to mediate peace talks between the Karenni National
Progressive Party and the Burmese military, sources told Mizzima.

The KNPP, still technically a cease-fire group, is willing to renegotiate
a cease-fire proposal with the military the group's general secretary,
Raymond Htoo said.

KNPLF second-in-command Htoo Kyaw phoned KNPP commander Bee Htoo last
month and secretly offered to facilitate talks between the group and
military officials.

A Karenni Catholic pastor from Loikaw Suthero Pamaung also told the group
he was willing to mediate potential peace talks.

But Raymond Htoo said their group had not agreed to the offers yet.

"KNPLF is just one group that is under the control of military junta. And
it's unlikely that the KNPP and the KNPLF could work together since the
two sides still have armed conflicts and have no trust for each other," he
said.

Mizzima learned both 'cease-fire brokers' told the KNPP the military still
recognised the group's 1995 ceasefire agreement and that they would get
special privileges if they agreed to return to it.

 They also told the KNPP not to discuss the cease-fire talks with the
media. Raymond Htoo said despite knowing the junta could not to be
trusted to keep their word, the group was willing to talk.

"Since the military government has detained many ethnic leaders such as
Shan, Palaung, it has been revealed that there is no guarantee or
privileges under the military government even for groups who hold peace
talks," he said.

"However, the KNPP is ready for any ceasefire talks, which lead to a truly
beneficial peace for the whole Karenni people."

The State Peace and Development Council has not yet responded to the
KNPP's calls for discussions.

The SPDC and KNPP signed a cease-fire agreement in 1995, which lasted only
three months after Burmese troops arrested some of the group's members,
violating the agreement.

In April 2004, KNPP representatives were forced to cancel a trip to
Rangoon for peace talk after the military refused to accept their request
to be called the Karenni Government.

The KNPLF signed a cease-fire agreement with the SPDC in 1994.

____________________________________

December 14, Irrawaddy
Burma named among countries jailing journalists - Louis Reh

Burma is high on the latest Committee to Protect Journalists list of
journalists held in jail.

The CPJ’s report for the current year ranks Burma and the United States at
fifth place, each country accused of holding five journalists in prison as
at December 1. The US prisoners are held either in Iraq or at the US naval
base at Guantanamo, Cuba.

China heads the list, with 32 journalists in jail. Cuba (24), Eritrea (15)
and Ethiopia (13) follow.

The most common charges leveled against the imprisoned journalists were
“subversion, divulging state secrets, and acting against the interests of
the state.”

The report says 125 journalists were being held in prison worldwide as at
December 1, three more than at the same time in 2004.

The five journalists in jail in Burma are Nyein Thit , Ne Min, Aung Htun,
Maung Maung Lay Ngwe and U Win Tin. A sixth, Aung Pwint—honored by the CPJ
for the past three years—was freed after an intensive international
campaign for his release.

Tate Naing, secretary of the Thai-based Assistance Association for
Political Prisoners (Burma), accused the Rangoon regime yesterday of
violating the norms of international human rights by locking journalists
up and depriving them of their liberty to work.

Meanwhile, the Burmese state-owned daily Kyemon yesterday accused the BBC,
the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia of fabricating information and
thereby threatening the stability of the country and the Burmese Army, the
Tatmadaw.

____________________________________

December 14, Shan Herald Agency for News
Killing in ceasefire area

The ceasefire group Shan State Army-North, already burdened with pressures
from both Rangoon and neighboring countries, has also been bombarded with
complaints from the local populace, the most recent being one on the
shooting spree by a Burma Army unit that resulted in the death of a
villager, reports sources from the Sino-Burma border:

The victim was Sai Hsa, 30, son of Zaray Mu, who was wounded in his leg
when a 60-strong patrol commanded by Maj Zaw Zaw Naing of the
Tangyan-based Infantry Battalion 33 shot into a group of villagers who
were herding their cows at 07:30 on 12 December. The event took place near
the two villages of Napang and Nalooklao, Namlao tract.

The villagers later pleaded with the patrol commander to release Sai Hsa
so they could take care of his wound. But Maj Zaw Zaw Naing insisted his
detainee was without doubt an "armed terrorist", had his men "beat him to
a pulp" and throw him into the Nampang river right in front of the stunned
onlooking villagers.

"In Tangyan township, there are only the SSA 'North', the Wa (United Wa
State Army, another ceasefire group) and the (pro-Rangoon) militias,
besides the Burma Army," an anguished relative of Sai Has was quoted as
saying. "The only armed terrorist group we have here is the Burma Army."

The anti-Rangoon SSA 'South' is reported as being active in the
neighboring townships of Kehsi, Hsipaw and Nawngkheo.

The SSA 'North' local authorities have forwarded the villagers' complaint
to the Hsengkeow HQ with a request to take issue with the Burma Army over
the killing. "If we don't do something, we are going to lose their
support," a ceasefire officer told S.H.A.N.
The SSA 'North', since its patron Maj-Gen Hso Ten was arrested in
February, has been under pressure to give up its arms.

____________________________________

December 14, Xinhua News Agency
Myanmar lays down principles on executive powers of self-administered zones

Myanmar's ongoing national convention has laid down detailed basic
principles on executive powers of self-administered zones and
self-administered division to be included in drafting a new state
constitution, official newspaper the New Light of Myanmar reported
Wednesday.

The self-administered zone and division leading bodies will have the power
to make laws and implement matters in accordance with laws enacted by
respective levels of the parliament, according to the principles adopted
on Tuesday's plenary session of the convention which resumed on Dec. 5.

The convention had earlier designated in 1994 that there will be five
self-administered zones which are Naga, Danu, Pa-oh, Palaung and Kokang,
and one self-administered division which is Wa.

The self-administered zones are made up of two to three townships, while
the self-administered Wa division comprises six townships.

The current session also adopted some detailed basic principles in sharing
the executive powers on state service personnel, designating that such
personnel, including the armed force members and the police force members
be free from party politics.

Monday's session had laid down detailed principles concerning the powers
and functions of the president, and executive powers of the union
government and region or state government in the sector for sharing the
executive and judicial powers.

Since the national convention first started in 1993, it has adopted 104
basic principles for drafting the state constitution and detailed ones for
seven chapters -- "The State", "Structure of State", "Head of state",
"Designation of Self-Administered Divisions or Zones", "Formation of
Legislature", "Formation of Executive", "Formation of Judiciary", "Sharing
of legislative power".

The resumption of the long-suspended constitutional national convention
constitutes the first step of Myanmar's seven-point political roadmap to
democracy announced in August 2003 with the remaining six steps of the
roadmap being outlined as undergoing a national referendum on draft of the
constitution, holding a general election to produce parliament
representatives and forming a new democratic government.

____________________________________
ON THE BORDER

December 14, Irrawaddy
Burmese ethnic exile group welcomes Asean stand on Burma

The Burmese ethnic group in exile Ethnic Nationalities Council (Union of
Burma) has welcomed Asean’s call for the release of political prisoners
and for democratic reform in Burma. In a statement released today, ENC
chairman Saw Ba Thin Sein said: “It is good for the entire region that
Asean has finally abandoned its policy of non-interference in the internal
affairs of member states and is pressing the military regime to release
political prisoners and institute democratic reforms in our country.” The
ENC believes that the problems in Burma today are no longer its own
internal affair and that they are becoming an international issue, the
statement said. It expressed the ENC’s hope that when Malaysian Foreign
Minister Syed Hamid Albar makes his planned visit to Burma as a
representative of Asean he will be able to meet not only with opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi but also with detained Shan politician Hkun Htun
Oo. “Above all, we hope that he will be able to negotiate with the SPDC
[State Peace and Development Council] for their release,” said the ENC
chairman.

____________________________________

December 14, Network Media Group
UNHCR welcomes Thai proposal for Burmese refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has welcomed the Thai
Ministry of Education’s proposal for continuous education for Burmese
refugees. It will try to support the project, said a policy official of
UNHCR.

With the help of self-sponsorship, the Thai Office of the Non-Formal
Education Commission has been helping refugees with their education while
seeking annual support from the UNHCR, Khunying Kasama Voravan, permanent
secretary to the ministry, was quoted as saying in the Bangkok Post on
December 13.

Regarding the Thai Education Ministry project, Guisette De Vimcentis, a
policy official of UNHCR, said, “We are waiting of course for more
proposals and we will look into it. We will try to support the proposal or
pass it. We assure the Minister of Education that we will be very
supportive.”

The proposal to be submitted to UNHCR will aim at improving teaching
methods, English language skills and vocational education for refugees,
said the official.

The project will provide educational equipments and facilities to Burmese
refugees. With the skills they learn, those who move to a third country
will be able to eke out a living, the official added.

There are more than 150,000 refugees from Burma along the Thai-Burma
border, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces and UNHCR
is trying to resettle them in a third country. More than 10,000 of them
were resettled in third countries this year.

____________________________________

December 14, Mizzima News
Abortion report details dangers for Burmese in border areas - Han Pai

Dr. Cynthia Maung and Dr. Suzanne Balton of Charles Darwin University,
Australia have released a new health report on abortion practices among
Burmese women in border areas.

The report, 'Working Our Way Back Home: Fertility and Pregnancy Loss on
the Thai-Burma Border', includes information from 43 women who have had
abortions and is aimed at raising awareness of reproductive health issues
among migrant workers.

Dr. Maung said the report released in Mae Sot, Thailand was designed to
educate and inform people of the complicated factors involved in sexual
health on Burma's borders.

"We want to disseminate information and knowledge on reproductive health,
abortion, and its consequences and complications, the mortality rate and
the disease rate faced by migrant workers here," Dr. Maung said.

"It is complicated with factors related to tradition, customs and culture,
political crisis and government policy. We recommend that our health
workers emphasise the option of abortion in the reduction of maternal
mortality rate," she said.

According to the report between 400 and 500 abortions and miscarriages are
dealt with by Dr. Cynthia Maung's Maetaw clinic each year.

Maung Maung Htoo from the Burma Medical Association, who works on
reproductive health among migrant workers, said the publication could help
improve sexual health awareness among at-risk groups.

"If we can publish broadly among migrant workers, it will be very useful
to them as it contains a lot of information on reproductive health and the
danger of abortion and miscarriage," Maung Maung Htoo said.

The report has been published in both Burmese and English and is aimed at
health workers, policy makers and social groups.

____________________________________
ASEAN

December 14, Agence France Presse
Protesters arrested in scuffle outside East Asia Summit

Kuala Lumpur: Nineteen protesters were arrested Wednesday as Malaysian
police broke up a human rights protest outside the venue of the first-ever
16-nation East Asia Summit, organisers said.

Officers wrestled one man to the ground and handcuffed him in front of
about 100 media before frogmarching him to a police van, and AFP
photographers saw police punch another protester in the face in the melee.

Two women from a local civil-society group who were supporting the
demonstrators screamed and struggled with the officers trying to halt the
small protest, held in a city park.

One of the arrested men was Tian Chua, the information chief of Malaysia's
Keadilan opposition party, which is headed by the wife of former deputy
premier Anwar Ibrahim who was sacked and jailed in 1998.

"Today ASEAN proved itself to be a club of dictators which refuses to
listen to any form of criticism," he shouted from the back of the police
van.

"ASEAN has sat for two days and discussed nothing about human rights, put
no pressure on Burma, discussed nothing about ecological destruction,
discussed nothing about labour and migrants," he said.

The protest came after ASEAN's annual summit Monday and Tuesday, which was
followed by Wednesday's East Asia Summit grouping 10-member ASEAN along
with Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand and India.

Deputy district police chief Mohamad Rodzi Ismail denied that anyone had
been beaten.

"Police wanted to take away their banners and that's why they were
arrested," he told AFP

"When there is a scuffle they push us, we push them. The allegation that
we beat them up is wrong."

Tian said after his release that 14 people rounded up in the incident had
been freed, but that five Myanmar citizens without travel documents were
still in detention.

"There was no need for the police to use such excessive force on peaceful
demonstrators ... at a time we are hosting an international gathering, he
said. "It just shows that we are living in a police state."

Malaysia's leading human rights group Suaram condemned the "manhandling"
of Tian and said that as freedom of assembly was enshrined in Malaysia's
constitution, the police action was "totally uncalled for."

Southeast Asian leaders took an unprecedented stand against Myanmar at
this week's ASEAN summit, making it clear they had lost patience with the
pariah state for stalling on promises to end four decades of military
rule.

____________________________________

December 14, Agence France Presse
Engagement the right way ahead on Myanmar, ASEAN chair says

Kuala Lumpur: Current ASEAN chair Malaysia on Wednesday defended the
group's policy of engagement with fellow member Myanmar even as it
toughens its stance on its military rulers over democracy and human
rights.

At this week's summit, the group said it had wrung agreement from the
Yangon junta to accept an envoy to Myanmar, one of the world's most
secretive countries, to check on the rights situation there.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia, whose Foreign Minister
Syed Hamid Albar will be the group's envoy, said the 10-nation ASEAN bloc
had been right not to simply isolate the military regime even further.

"I believe in the policy of engagement and not the policy of containment,"
Abdullah told a press conference.

"If you pursue a policy of containment, you will have endless problems. We
will continue a policy of engagement with Myanmar," he said.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention for 10 of the
last 16 years and her National League for Democracy, which won elections
in 1990, was never allowed to take office.

Earlier this month the UN Security Council agreed to hear a formal
briefing on Myanmar, stepping up international pressure on the regime to
stop stalling on its promises to move toward democracy.

Breaking with its tradition of non-interference in each other's affairs,
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this week said it wanted
tangible progress from Yangon and the release of political prisoners.

Abdullah said ASEAN had discussed the situation "very intensely" in a
meeting of the group's foreign ministers this week.

____________________________________

December 14, The Nation
ASEAN Summit: Burma makes Thaksin ‘uncomfortable’ - Marisa Chimprabha

Thai PM says Rangoon never informed neighbours of political developments.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday expressed concern over the
situation in Burma, saying the junta had never discussed any aspect of
political reform with its Asean colleagues.

Thaksin said he had told his Burmese counterpart that Asean, and notably
Thailand, which fully supported Burma for long time, felt “uncomfortable”
because the junta had never kept the group informed.

Asean members expressed disappointment that the military-run government
extended the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and was
moving to new capital Pyinmana without notifying the group, he said.

The group agreed to dispatch a fact-finding team to the country to check
on the political situation. The team, led by Malaysian Foreign Minister
Syed Hamid Albar was likely visit Rangoon next month, Foreign Minister
Kantathi Suphamong-khon said yesterday.
Kantathi said the call for political progress in Burma has been put to
Burmese Prime Minister Soe Win during the Asean Summit, which Burma
attended as a member.

Asean has asked that the Syed-led team can meet with opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, Kantathi said, adding that
Burma has not yet given a clear response.

Asked if Asean’s pressure on Burma would lead to the release of Suu Kyi,
Kantathi said: “We hope so.”

Asean leaders have been loyal backers of Burma in recent years but lack of
political progress has led many to believe the group must now put pressure
on Burma. International condemnation of the regime has also risen. Asean
leaders have branded Burma an embarrassment and a burden to the group.

____________________________________
REGIONAL

December 14, Agence France Presse
China says human rights in Myanmar an internal issue

China on Wednesday said the human rights situation in Myanmar, which came
under unusual pressure from fellow Southeast Asian nations this week, was
an internal matter for its military rulers.

"Basically we are saying that Myanmar's issues are issues of internal
affairs," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said on the
sidelines of an East Asia Summit in Malaysia.

"At the same time, we also think the international community should try to
create a favourable atmosphere for peace and stability in Myanmar," he
said.

Earlier this week the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) broke away from its tradition of non-interference in its members'
affairs and pressed the junta to make progress on democracy and human
rights.

Asked about the criticism, Liu said Beijing hoped that "peace, stability
and development" would be maintained in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

China is one of Myanmar's few allies on the international stage and a
major economic partner. It is viewed as one of the few countries that has
influence over the secretive regime and usually avoids criticism of
Yangon.

ASEAN said this week it had wrung agreement from the junta to accept an
envoy to Myanmar to check on the rights situation there.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been in jail or under house arrest
for 10 of the last 16 years, and her National League for Democracy, which
won elections in 1990, was never allowed to take office.

But Prime Minister Abdulah Ahmad Badawi of Malaysia, the current ASEAN
chair, said the bloc still believed that trying to engage the junta was
the correct policy.

"If you pursue a policy of containment, you will have endless problems. We
will continue a policy of engagement with Myanmar," he said.

ASEAN held its annual summit Monday and Tuesday, which was followed by
Wednesday's East Asia Summit that groups the 10-member ASEAN along with
Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

____________________________________

December 14, The New Zealand Herald
Clark prompts moves on Myanmar

Asean Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong believes Prime Minister Helen
Clark's robust approach to human rights has prompted Southeast Asian
foreign ministers to "get tough" with Myanmar.

Mr Ong indicated Helen Clark's willingness in previous conversations to
frankly tackle Myanmar's failure to implement democratic reforms had
emboldened some Asean members to depart from their sacrosanct
non-interference policy and fire a salvo at the military regime.

"She had things to say on Myanmar which resonated with some of our
members," Mr Ong told the Herald.

"In a certain way that has allowed our Asean countries to say, 'Okay, well
Myanmar, are we just going to carry on like this? Is this behaviour
acceptable or do we need to do something about it?"'

He paid a glowing tribute to Helen Clark: "We understand where Helen is
coming from and respect her views. We like her, she is very positive."

Helen Clark is not expected to raise Myanmar or the plight of its
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in direct discussion at the East
Asia Summit.

The Asean leaders have already made an ultimatum to Myanmar to deliver
tangible results in implementing democracy and release all its political
detainees.

Mr Ong said it was necessary for the leaders to "go over the top" and make
public their call instead of relying on their message being conveyed
upwards by Myanmar's foreign minister. "This way we can be sure the
message is read from the wires, newspapers, radio or television."

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is official host for
today's meeting, has already announced that the emergence of a single East
Asia community with a common goal is envisioned.

Mr Ong told the Herald the new free-trade area would progress in stages,
as some Asean members were not yet favourable to New Zealand and Australia
being included.

"We should not be overly hung-up on our baggage with the geography ...
Australia and New Zealand are far away," he said. "The message Asean is
putting forward is 'We now have all the Asian countries participating in
the summit ... let's start with that'.

"We're aware that some of our countries tend to look at geography. But we
don't define who is here. We want to get the first meeting going and find
the interest of the leaders then we find a way later on how to address
this point."

He admitted some of the opposition was because of a perception that New
Zealand and Australia were friendly to American interests. But he noted
that some Asean countries also enjoyed strong US links.

Mr Ong said Asean's key preoccupation was to emphasise its role as the
driving force behind the proposed free-trade area.

"Wherever possible we don't talk about East Asia but Asean and China,
Japan and South Korea.

"But we are also emphasising the future. In light of the dynamic growth in
this region, do you see a future without New Zealand and without Australia
or does the future mean a very integrated economic area?"

He said the purists and sceptics wanted definition. But the summit
organisers would ensure the 16 political leaders at today's summit "do not
spend too much time haggling over geography".

Mr Ong expects a small huddle of Asean economic and trade ministers will
ultimately investigate how to merge the various existing bilateral and
regional deals, including Afta-CER (New Zealand and Australia), into a
mega free-trade area. But it will take many years to achieve.

He said the Asean-CER deal was quite positive but was "not as quick as
would like it".

Both countries are in fact hanging out for a meaningful binding deal,
which is a step up from some of Asean's current agreements.

He said Japan and Korea, which are members of Asean's current "plus three"
agreement would welcome Australia and New Zealand.

"They want to help and reflect they are open economies and also to counter
the two big boys, China and India.

"China will not want to say no, otherwise everyone will think there is a
secret agenda for China."

He said that Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines also strongly
supported New Zealand and Australia's claims to be part of the region.

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

December 14, Irrawaddy
UNSC Burma briefing scheduled for Friday - Clive Parker

The US permanent mission to the UN last night told The Irrawaddy the much
anticipated briefing on Burma at the UN Security Council will take place
on Friday.

A US spokesperson in New York, Monica Cummings, said the briefing
represented “a clear expression of the international community's concern
about the situation in Burma,” although no other details were available,
including who would be delivering the address.

The US and the UN are yet to make a formal announcement.

Washington had been pushing for the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to
conduct the session, although it is now thought that he will only
attend—possibly offering his comments—with a lower-ranking UN official
giving the briefing.

Campaign groups have hailed the forthcoming briefing as a crucial step
towards the possible inclusion of Burma on the official agenda of the
Council, a move that would require the support of at least nine countries
within the 15-member body.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

December 14, South China Morning Post
Asean must keep up pressure on Myanmar


Non-interference in each other's affairs is a convention that has helped
Asean members maintain a harmonious regional grouping for nearly 40 years.
It says something about the extent to which Myanmar's military rulers have
prompted international disapproval that Asean now feels compelled to make
an unprecedented exception.

At their annual summit in Kuala Lumpur this week, Association of Southeast
Asian Nations leaders prevailed upon Myanmar's harsh regime to accept a
visit from a regional envoy and demanded to be shown tangible progress
towards democracy. Myanmar, to its credit, has agreed to accept a
delegation led by foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar of Malaysia, the Asean
chairman.

But precedent aside, the effectiveness of the region's intervention
remains to be seen. Fortified by the friendliness of its neighbours,
notably China and India, Myanmar's generals have resisted international
pressure for change, including sanctions imposed by the United States and
the European Union, and frustrated the mission of a United Nations envoy.

The first test will be whether the secretive regime co-operates with the
mission or seeks to sabotage it. Asean has rightly demanded that the envoy
be allowed to see detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel
Peace Prize winner has been imprisoned or under house detention for much
of the 15 years since her National League for Democracy won an election in
1990, after which the military refused to hand over power.

She is an international symbol of hope for more than 1,000 fellow
political detainees and a nation of people denied their basic rights and
freedoms and mired in poverty and disease. The envoy cannot return with
his mission's credibility intact if he is prevented from seeing her.

Asean leaders have recognised that their own tolerance combined with
international pressure and moral persuasion has failed to convince the
generals to loosen their hold on power. Now that they have broken with
tradition to intervene in the affairs of a recalcitrant member nation,
they must not back down on the demand for access to Ms Suu Kyi.

The Malaysian foreign minister has sent the right message ahead of his
mission, which he hopes will take place next month: the Asean leaders want
movement and not just words, and regard the release of political detainees
as one of the most important measures in a reconciliation process. "There
must be something we [can] feel and see," he said.

Ironically, the Myanmar issue gave added momentum to a summit decision to
take the first steps towards drafting a written constitution for Asean,
amid suggestions that it should enshrine human rights and democracy. A
group of eminent people has been formed to work on a draft. It is to be
hoped that it will provide a formula for dealing with similar delicate
problems in future.

____________________________________
PRESS RELEASE

December 14, Amnesty International
Myanmar: UN Security Council must act

Amnesty International yesterday wrote to all members of the United Nations
Security Council, welcoming their unanimous decision to schedule a
discussion of the human rights situation in Myanmar.

The organization urged that the Security Council place Myanmar on its
agenda and demand that the government of Myanmar put an end to all
violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and
implement reforms towards improving the general human rights situation.

Amnesty International has long-standing concerns about the human rights
crisis in Myanmar. Grave violations of international human rights and
humanitarian law continue to be reported there and have led to the
displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, both within and outside
the country. These include torture, extrajudicial executions, and forcible
relocation, requirement to take part in unpaid forced labour and military
portering, and the forcible recruitment of children to the military. There
is widespread impunity enjoyed for these violations by state officials.

The Myanmar authorities have failed to act on recommendations aimed at
rectifying this grave situation in successive resolutions passed by the
United Nations General Assembly and Commission on Human Rights.

Amnesty International drew attention to its two reports of September and
December 2005 that highlight the continued use of unpaid forced labour and
misuse of the legal system to silence dissent. The organization expressed
concern that the Myanmar authorities have stepped up the prosecution of
individuals who have reported allegations of human rights violations, and
have displayed an unwillingness to cooperate with the international
community in protecting the fundamental rights of its population. This
includes denying access to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the
Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar and to the United Nations Secretary
General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar.

Background
The Security Council is mandated by the Charter of the United Nations with
the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and
security. Its decisions are binding on states. The Security Council may
formally place a matter on its agenda either by a majority vote or by
consensus among its members.