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An Initiative for Ceasefire in Burm



Subject: An Initiative for Ceasefire in Burma

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SOME INITIATIVE FOR CEASEFIRE IN BURMA

FROM: U Ne Oo, Adelaide, Australia.
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Dear reg.burma-l subscribers:

    Following two letters are to the NGOs and Burmese Expatriate communities 
    and distributed last week. Please give support to this action and help
    democratic forces to reach ceasefire and to consolidate. This item 
    is NOT TO BE REPOSTED to soc.culture.burma and anyother public nets.
    Your comments regarding this are most welcome.
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>From:
Dr  U Ne Oo,
48/2 Ayliffes Road,
St. Marys SA 5042,
Adelaide, AUSTRALIA.

\date{August 3, 1994.}

Dear Friends:

RE: The Ceasefire Agreements in Burma
-------------------------------------

Warmest greetings from Adelaide and  firstly wishing to thank you
for your efforts in helping Burmese people and their struggle for democracy.

As you have been a person/organization which closely
working with Burma pro-democracy groups, I would like to call your
attentions to the concerns raised in the enclosed documents.
In particular, the proposal for DAB to enter ceasefire on the
condition that they be able to participate in political process
and writing a just constitution.

My appeal to you - as a person/organization influential on the
Burma's prodemocracy groups- is to persuade DAB to enter ceasefire
agreements and also to give helps in any possible way to consolidate
their political position.

I believe this is the critical time for prodemocracy groups to
focus their attention on the political developments and also to
be vigilent. As the prodemocracy groups have unfortunately been
scattered throughout the globe and, for most part, under suppressions,
the advise from the NGOs and expatriate groups are vital for their
very survival. Please help as anyway you can.

I  usually work with a small Adelaide based NGO -the Burma Action (SA)-
and various expatriate groups within Australia, but this initiative
has to be considered largely of my own and may not necessarily
reflect the views of those groups.

Once again, I thank you for your kind attentions and helps.

Yours sincerely,

U Ne Oo, Adelaide, Australia.
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 The Dialogue for Nationwide Ceasefire in Burma
 ----------------------------------------------
 A Call for Action to NGOs and Pro-democracy Groups
 --------------------------------------------------
 Date: August 3, 1994.
 From: Dr U Ne Oo, Adelaide, Australia.


As you may already know,  the UNHCR made a statement on 21 June regarding
with repatriation of Burmese refugees in Thailand. In the statement, the
UNHCR informed of its willingness to monitor and assist the repatriation
and also urged both SLORC and democratic forces to implement ceasefire
in order to create a safe return for refugees. The SLORC's foreign minister
at the Bangkok ASEAN meeting has indicated that the janta will talk with
the UN Secretary-General. This appear to be  the first step towards
repatriation of refugees in Thailand as well as a starting point for
a possible mediation of Burma's conflicts by the international community.

There have been news about Nai Shwe Kyin has been assigned to a senior DAB
post and Dr Naing Aung and Moe Thee Zun ABSDF factions are going to unite into
one team. These have been encouraging signs from democratic forces that may
actually leads to their consolidations. The NCGUB have also made a
suggestion on 12 July that the current process of writing constitution 
should be abandoned. This has been a necessary step to create a just 
constitution for all the people of Burma.

>From NGOs' point of view, the best way to help the refugees and these
democratic forces is to urge UN to make a {\em `Comprehensive Response to the
Refugee Problem'}. This includes the UNHCR verification of ceasefire,
monitoring human rights situation as well as safety of returnees, and that
follows by  UN assisting in reintegration process. We, the NGOs, should put
forwards such a proposal to the UN in the forthcoming UNGA.

At present, the democratic forces should be encouraged to enter the ceasefire
agreement. The agreement should be signed upon the condition that (1) the
democratic force, i.e. the exiled parliamentarians as well as ethnic freedom
fighters(including that of student rebels), must be able to participate in
political process and drafting of a just constitution; (2) a time
table for  completing constitution with transfer of power to the
civilian government must be presented; (3) the UN must be able to
supervise in writing of the constitution and (4) the ceasefire agreement
must be implemented under the UN supervisions.

It appears that DAB also need to promote a concrete strategy on how to 
transform itself to a political organization. In this regards, K.I.O. have
formulated their strategy, for example, the need to retain arms until
a new (Federal) constitution is in place; the necessity to form a
political party and a provision for the disarmament at a final stage.
DAB certainly needs to formulate a similar strategy. These strategy
must be in consistent with the UN human rights/humanitarian policy
towards Burma.

Presently, the DAB is seen as a mere grouping of highly
autonomous bodies. Only after a concrete policy being  formulated,
that will becomes a political organization. The DAB undoubtedly have a
lot of sympathizers abroad. However, these sympathizers can not help
in practice unless the democratic forces have made the public known
of their strategy on how to establish a Federal Union.
In particular, the Burmese populace inside have to be explained about
this policy.

\newpage
It is also important that the democratic forces must be able to judge  their
proposals are truly achievable. An unreasonable or unrealistic proposals can
discourage the international community. So far, the democratic forces have been
good in regards to cooperating with the international community. But
they always must be aware that present repatriation movement is a purely
humanitarian in nature and therefore resist the temptation to use this
movement as a bargaining chip for their political ends. The democratic
forces must always show their willingness to put the welfare of the people
of Burma above their political interests and, at the same time, not  giving in
too much in the ways of SLORC.


************************ My Report Ends Here *******************************