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REPORT ON COMMUNICATIONS (24/11/199



Subject: REPORT ON COMMUNICATIONS (24/11/1995)

/* Written 26 Nov 6:00am 1995 by DRUNOO@xxxxxxxxxxxx(DR U NE OO) in igc:reg.burma */
/* -------------" Report on Communications (24/11/1995) "------------- */

Following  is the letter to Professor Yokota, urging him to give assistance
by the U.N. in the process of  writing  constitution  in  Burma.  The  U.N.
involvement  in  drafting  Burma's  constitution is considered as essential
element in building peace in Burma.

With regards to the supports for the Burma's dialogues and ceasefires, much
more  help  from  the  international community been needed. As of my recent
postings would shows, the Australians within the political and human  rights
circle  have  been  working  hard on the issues regarding Burma and that, of
course, is much heartening to  the Burmese. However, Australia  is  only  a
small  country  and  it alone  will  not  be  able  to  do  the  task;  the
help  must  be sought from U.N. as well as the international community. Our
pro-democracy friends on the net, especially from U.S. and Japan, can  help
in  urging  their  governments to get into the action - if you perhaps have
not already done so. I myself is writing to the  Hon.  Secretary  of  State
Warren  Christopher  for  help  from the Government of United State in this
matter and that letter will be posted to the net shortly.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
LETTER TO U.N. SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR (24/11/95)
********************************************
Dr U Ne Oo
48/2 Ayliffes Road
St Marys SA 5042
AUSTRALIA

November 24, 1995.

Professor Yozo Yokota
Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar
Palias de Nation
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland

Dear Professor Yokota

RE: National Convention in Myanmar
----------------------------------
I should like to call the Special Rapporteur's attention  to  the  National
Convention  in  Myanmar  that  is to be reconvened on 28/11/1995. With this
letter, I have enclosed the statement by the National League for Democracy,
which  express  their  concerns  about  the  current  process  of   framing
constitution.  I  have  the  knowledge that the Special Rapporteur, in your
various reports to U.N. forums, has already pointed out the shortcomings in
the writing of constitution in Myanmar. There  have  not  been  any  proper
consultation  with  the Burmese populace in general and the ethnic minority
groups in particular in  writing  of  the  constitution.  Furthermore,  the
elected  representatives of the people of Burma and the National League for
democracy have not  been  allowed  to  participate  fully  in  writing  the
constitution. Therefore, the present process of writing constitution should
not be considered as a legitimate one.

I  particularly  wish  to draw the Special Rapporteur's attention regarding
the absence of the true representatives of the  ethnic  nationalities.  The
Military Government of Myanmar have made various ceasefires with the ethnic
nationality  freedom  fighters.  It appears that those ethnic rebel groups,
which have concluded ceasefires with Myanmar Military Government, have  not
been able to participate properly in the writing of constitution.

I therefore appeal the Special Rapporteur to make initiatives to ratify the
process of writing constitution in Myanmar. With the aim of building a long
lasting  peace  in  Burma,  the  rights  of  ethnic nationalities should be
incorporated in the new constitution and the elected representatives of the
people of burma must be able to perticipate fully in this process.  I  urge
the UN Committee for Human Rights and respective U.N. Agencies to supervise
the process of writing constitution.

I believe the supervising role for the U.N. in writing Burma's constitution
will   help   create   the  trust  between  ethnic  nationalities,  elected
representatives and the military authorities of  Myanmar.  This  will  also
assure the ethnic nationalities that the constitution will be fair and just
for  all  people  of Burma. Such initiative by the U.N. will also encourage
the remaining ethnic rebel groups, such as Karen National Union that  seeks
genuine   political  settlement,  to  enter  into  ceasefire  with  Burmese
military.

Finally, I should  like  to  thank  the  United  Nations  and  the  Special
Rapporteur in particular for your relentless efforts that have been made to
improve human rights situation in Myanmar. Yours continuing efforts for the
progress  of  democracy  and  improvement of human rights in Burma are most
valuable to us, the Burmese.

Yours respectfully and sincerely
U Ne Oo
cc: 1. Ms Sadako Ogata, UN HIgh Commissioner  for  Refugees,  Case  Postale
2500, CH-1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Switzerland.

/*-----------"Letter to the UN Secretary General (reposted)"-----------*/

January 31, 1995.

Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali
The Secretary-General of United Nations
38th Floor, U.N. Secretariat
UNited Nations New York 10017
United States of America.

Dear Secretary-General

RE: CONTINUING DETENTION OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI
    AND BURMESE MILITARY'S RECENT ATTACK ON OPPOSITIONS

I  wish to call the Secretary-General's attention to the Burmese military's
recent attack on the opposition forces at the  Manerplaw,  Karen  State  in
eastern  part  of  Myanmar.  As a result of this fighting, there has been a
further  outflows  of  refugees  into  Thailand,  which  creating   another
added-burden  to  the  international  aid  agencies  supporting refugees in
Thailand. Within  Karen  State,  reports  indicate  that  the  intensifying
military  operation  by Burmes army is resulting in the forced porterage of
civilians.

I also wish to not the Military Government of Myanmar's failure to  fulfill
the  international  community's request to engage in a substantive dialogue
with, and also the release of, the opposition leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
These requests had already been made at the 1994 U.N. General Alssembly  by
the  international  community  (clause 4 and 5). This failure to comply the
international community's request, together with the  recent  offensive  on
the  ethnic  opposition indicate that the MIlitary Government of Myanmar is
not sincere in its effort in promoting peace and reconciliations.  Clearly,
the  current  trend  is  not  leading  towards  a  peaceful  transition  to
democracy.  Therefore,  a  stronger  action  from  U.N.  and  international
community  are  neeed  to  ensure  that  the Military Government of Myanmar
comply with the U.N. resolutions.

I therefore call upon  Secretary-General  of  U.N.  and  the  international
community  to take measures regarding recent attack on the opposition camps
and continued detention of the opposition leaders:

1. The attack on the ethnic opposition,  the  Karen  National  UNion  which
seeks  the  peaceful  political  settlement with Burmese army, has been the
proof of insincerity of SLORC  on  ethnic  minorities  issues  and  also  a
revelation  of  the true intention in making ceasefire with the rebels. The
Military Government of Myanmar evidently fails to take the  opportunity  to
make  political  settlement  with the ethnic minorities. Therefore, current
ceasefire agreement with the ethnic minority forces are intended  only  for
temporary halt in military assault on the opposition forces, which will not
gove  a  lasting  peace  in  Burma.  Such  an  attack indicate that burmese
military will seek to destroy these ethnic opposition whenever there is  an
opportunity.

The  military operation against the opposition forces also induce an attack
on the refugees and internally displaced people. In July  1994,  there  has
been  an  attack on the civilian refugee camp at Halockhani at Thai-Burmese
border. the international community had already expressed its  concerns  in
such  incidences  in the 1994 U.N. General Assembly resolution (clause 17).
Therefore it is necessary to prevent such attacks repeating in Burma.

Therefore, I call upon the Secretary-General and the U.N. Security  council
to implement the nation-wide ceasefire in Myanmar/Burma.

2.  Continuing  military conflicts and the delays in implementing political
settlements with oppositions indicate that the human rights violations will
continue to occur, especially, in the minority areas. Burma's  neighbouring
countries  -  especially  Thailand  -  have  been inundated by refugees and
displaced people because of the continuing human rights  aubses  in  Burma.
Therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  create a condition in which human rights
situation can speedily be ratified.

Therefore, I call upon the Secretary-General and U.N. Security  Council  to
create  the  special  zones, which are similar to security zones created in
Northern Iraq in 1991, particularly in Karen and Mon States, Kachin  State,
Tenasserim  divisions, and Arakan State where refugees are repatriating. In
such special zones, no armed  forces  should  be  allowed  to  build  their
military  capacities,  to  provoke  confrontations  and  to make aggression
against one another. In order to make a speedy improvement to human  rights
situation  in those special zones, the human rights bodies and humanitarian
agencies should be permitted of unhindered access to those areas.

3. I also wish to draw the Secretary-General's attention  to  the  lack  of
progress in drafting of the constitution. The impositions of guidelines and
lack  of  participations by true representatives of the people of Burma has
made this process of writing constitution  an  illegal.  Furhtermore,  such
constitution  at its completion will unlikely be having the approval by the
people of Burma when the national referendum  is  made.  Therefoer  present
process of drafting constitution need to be modified.

The  new  constitution  will also need systematic inclusion of the monority
rights in order to encourage reconciliation  between  Burman  majority  and
ethnic  minorities.  the  presence  of respective U.N. Agencies in drafting
such  constitution  is  required  to  provide   impartial   judgements   in
incorporating  these  minority  rights.  Therefore, I wish to call upon the
Secretary-General and  U.N.  agencies  in  assisting  the  writing  of  the
constitution.

The  present  Military  Government of Myanmar insists that the constitution
must provide the military to have the prominent  role  in  furure  national
politics. the people of Burma do not allow any organization to have special
role  in  their  future  constitution.  However,  as  a requirement for the
national reconciliations, the  elected  parliamentarians,  in  consultation
with  present  military  leaders,  may  define the role of army only for an
immediate future in accordance with the benchmarks policy.

4. Within Thailand, there have been repeated incidences  if  the  conflicts
between  Thai  authorities  and  Student refugees in Bangkok as well as the
ethnic refugees at the border.  The  protections  given  to  the  displaced
burmese  by the Royal Thai Government are inadequate at present. Therefore,
the U.N. and  international  community  should  encourage  the  Royal  Thai
Government  to  grant temporary asylum to all burmese nationals on the Thai
soil. To assist the ethnic refugees, the UNHCR should urgently set-up their
offices at the refugee camps at the Thai-Burmese border.

Finally,  I  should  like   to   thank   the   UNited   Nations   and   the
Secretary-General  for  the  efforts  that  has  been made to promote human
rights and democracy in Burma. My sincere thanks are also to you  for  your
helps  in  promoting  reconciliation  in  Myanmar and , in particular, your
kindness to the people of Myanmar/Burma.

Yours faithfully and sincerely.
(U Ne Oo)
copy to:
1. Ms Sadako Ogata, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Case Postale 2500,
CH - 1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Switzerland.
2. Senator the Hon. Gareth Evans, Minister for Foreign Affairs,  Parliament
House, Canberra ACT 2600.
3.  John  Shattuck,  Assistant  Secretary  of  State  for  Human rights and
Humanitarian Affairs, Room 7802, US Department of State, 2201 C Street  NW,
Washington DC 20520, UNited States of America.

/* Endreport */