hunger strike, Canberra, Australia

[m3081344@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

HUNGER STRIKE TO PROTEST SLORC MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASEAN

( AUGUST 7-10, 1997 )
CANBERRA

The Revolutionary Council, the military dictatorship headed by General Ne Win came into power in Burma on March 2, 1962.  Two and a half decades of mismanagement by the military has resulted in the decline of the political, economic, and social aspects of the country, not to mention, the disastrous effects on the education of the country's future generations.  

As inevitable, a nation-wide uprising for democracy and freedom erupted in 1988, as initiated by the students.  Seizing the unrests, as an opportunity, a military dictatorship known as The State Law and Order Restoration Council       ( SLORC ) came into being on September 18, 1988.  The bloody coup resulted in the deaths of thousands of peaceful demonstrators.

Incompetent and corrupt regime impoverished the country to its present state- one of the poorest on earth from that of the richest in Southeast Asia.  Also, the SLORC has earned a pariah status, for its gross human rights abuses and brutality on the people to prolong its dynastic rule, as evidenced by refusing to honour the results of the 1990 polls, won by the National League for Democracy Party of Daw Aung San Su Kyi ( 1991 Noble Peace Prize Winner ).  

The SLORC's hold on power is further strengthened when the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) began to exercise the Constructive Engagement on Burma.  The ASEAN nations, Japan, and also Australia have invested heavily in Burma.  China's US $ 1.5 billion worth of arms on credit, also, buoyed up SLORC's ego for eternal rule.  

Recently, the ASEAN has embraced the SLORC as one of its members, disregarding the norms of principle and decency and ignoring the will of the 45 million people of Burma.  

As a result, we envision a scenario, in which ASEAN's act of recognition on the pariah regime and further economic collusion will only result in more profound and negative impacts on the economic and social aspects of the country, not to mention, its undue recognition given and considerable monetary gain for its eternal rule.

Therefore, we, the undersigned twelve members of the All Burma Students Democratic Organisation ( ABSDO ), by staging a 72 hr. hunger strike, strongly demand the ASEAN to review its policy on the SLORC and put on hold, its membership in the ASEAN, until democratic changes take place in Burma.