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Rebirth Students' Political Body in



Burmese Students' Conference in Canada
Toronto, Dec. 29, 1997 (The Rangoon Post)-About 50 students who led democracy
movements in Burma in 1988 later left the country to seek international
community to support the movements held the first student conference in
Toronto from December 26 to 29. The attendees discussed political situations
in Burma after the regime renamed State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
They also formed Burmese Students Democratic Organization (BSDO) and elected
several student leaders.
       A student leader Ko Tin Maung Htoo, one of the most vocal critics of
the students against the regime, told the students in the conference that
Burma under the present regime will be worsened. "However, everyone has to pay
close attention to not only the SPDC but also UN and other officials who are
dealing with the regime," he said.  "Some were confused by a remark of UN
Secretary  Mr. Annan, in which he said he would encourage the regime to hold a
new election in Burma," the student leader said.
      The regime held a free and fair election in 1990, and Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi's party, National League for Democracy, NLD, won 82% of the parliamentary
seats. But the regime refused to hand over power to the elected
representatives. 
      Ko Tin Maung Htoo said that the UN Resolution on Burma indicates only to
honor the 1990 election results and to hold dialogue with the democratic
forces, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Opposite to the resolution, Mr.
Annan's remark turned many questions. The student leader also warned that the
present move of the SPDC was very strange, of which he said the regime might
seek to install Indonesia model in Burma.     "Whatever the SPDC does, only
pressures will enforce the regime to enter to the dialogue table," he said. 
       Another student leader, Ko Toe Kyi, the longest time political prisoner
in Special Detention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, led the conference to adopt
the organization's policies over the regime. He said, he preferred "total
isolation" that the U.S. and Canada put on Burma. He emphasized the policy
over Burma conducted by ASEAN, Australia, and EU. "The Australian ruled
"Benchmark" policy," he said. He said that the benchmark does not impact on
the regime. "It means the Australian does not have a clear-cut policy on the
regime," he said. He said the ASEAN's policy of "constructive engagement"
toward Burma has noting to do with restoration of democracy in Burma. "The
ASEAN is only exploiting our natural resources by doing business with the
present regime," he said. He said, " EU does not have a strong policy;
therefore, the isolation is the most powerful weapon  to change Burma, and the
students must cooperate with the Canadian and American governments," Ko Toe
Kyi urged.  Ko Toe Kyi also wants the organization carry on 1980s South Africa
model. 
      The conference was successfully ended on Dec. 29, and the students
elected Ko Tun Shwe as a chairman, Ko Yin Naing as vice-chairman, Ko Toe Kyi
as a general secretary, and Ko Tin Maung Htoo as a secretary. Their
headquarter is going to be set in Toronto. The BSDO will lunch political
campaigns in Canada soon, and it will also encourage the Canadian government
to implement its idea of setting "a contact group" by international community.

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