FDL-AP Resolution on Burma, 24 - 6

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Subject: FDL-AP Resolution on Burma, 24 - 6 - 1999

FDL-AP Resolution on
New NGO Strategies for Democratization of Burma
24 June 1999

Current Status of Politics, Economy, Human Rights in Burma



Preamble:

Burma in 1999 is among the poorest countries in the world.  Burma has UN 
Least Developed Countries (LDC), status despite an abundance of natural 
resources.  The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), under 
the guise of responding to national crisis, uses the country's resources 
and international investment to maintain military control at the expense of 
public well being and national development. Poverty in Burma is linked 
directly to the lack of good governance and human rights violations.

Military cease-fires, the drafting of a constitution by the military, and 
other superficial reforms, have not resulted in genuine economic or 
political reforms leading to a dialogue.

Burma has also experienced a worsening of human rights conditions despite 
the continued attention from the global community.  Arrests of the National 
League for Democracy (NLD) supporters and political activists, the practice 
of forced labor, portering, and gross violations against the non-Burman 
ethnic nationalities have increased.
	
NGOs operating outside Burma in support of democratization and ethnic 
forces have made a contribution to positive change in Burma.   However, 
NGOs operating inside Burma have faced repeated and extensive restrictions 
on their operations.

Resolution

Calls on the State Peace and Development Council to create an environment 
inducive to conditional and mutually beneficial economic and political 
relations,

Calls on the international community to encourage the SPDC to create an 
environment conducive for international NGOs to independently provide 
humanitarian assistance to all people of Burma,

Recognises that the political strategies of the pro-democracy movement of 
Burma, particularly international pressure, have yielded positive results,

Recognises that a durable political settlement, including good governance,
and the rule of law is a pre-condition for effective changes to Burma's 
economic, legal and social institutions and,

Recognises that political strategies should continue to be premised by the 
fact that the National League for Democracy won the 1990 election.

Recommendations


FDL-AP should do all possible to:

Organize a series of international seminars on economics and development 
issues relating to Burma. The participants would include economists based 
inside and outside Burma,

Strengthen current political and diplomatic strategies, such as recognition 
for the Committee Representing the People's Parliament (CRPP) and intensify 
efforts with regional and international fora including ASEAN and 
neighbours, intergovernmental fora, individual Parliaments, and political 
parties, and put Burma on the agenda of the UN Security Council,

Develop networking at international, regional (ASEAN) and national levels. 
Given the presence of many Burma related NGOs and other bodies in Thailand 
substantial works be done in Bangkok. Information would be transmitted to 
the FDL-AP Secretariat for global dissemination,

Use the media as a catalyst to speed up the process of democratization in 
Burma.  All recommendations for projects and or activities should be 
subject to:

1.	Consultation and acceptance of the democratic movement including the 
non-Burma ethnic nationalities,
2.	Empowerment of the people of Burma through training and active 
involvement and,
3.	Planned transfer of operational responsibility to the people of Burma.

Establish a professional and independent news agency to provide a 
twenty-four hour information flow on Burma to international media and NGOs 
(to be known as the Burma News Service),

Lay the foundation for a genuine free press in Burma through continuous 
training of all people of Burma including the non-Burman ethnic 
nationalities,

Encourage the improvement and expansion of the frequency and quality of the 
existing radio broadcast operations, Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and 
Radio Free Asia (RFA) and,

Use the media as a catalyst for campaigns such as the opening of 
universities, selective purchasing, release of political prisoners, etc.


Working on behalf of the:
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)
Federation of Trade Unions, Burma (FTUB)
Australia Burma Council (ABC)

PO Box 2024, Queanbeyan, NSW 2620
Tel: (612) 6297 7734	Fax: (612) 6297 7773