FORMER MEMBERS' ASSOCIATION OF STUD

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Subject: FORMER MEMBERS' ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT ARMY (FMASA)

FORMER MEMBERS' ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT ARMY (FMASA)

Open Letter to UNHCR
10 November 1999

To:  Legal Section, UNHCR, Bangkok, Thailand 
Subject: Current decisions by the UNHCR and Thai MOI 

Dear Sirs & Madams: 

The Burmese military regime has long tried to manipulate views of the civil
war, the legacy of British colonialism, and to apply its Divide and Rule
policy to all opponents.  

We want to make it clear, that we, Burmese pro-democracy activists, do not
accept any kind of Divide and Rule approach especially when applied to the
major issues of the civil war or the pro-democracy movement stemming from
the 1988 uprising. 

We reject any attempt to divide or separate Burmese refugees as unfair
discrimination and as tacit, unjustifiable support for the military junta's
policy of Divide and Rule.

Each and every of us, as "Person of Concern" to the UNHCR, is a
revolutionary who undertook his or her duties in the struggle for democracy
and human rights in our motherland, Burma.   After our 8-8-88 pro-democracy
uprising, our great cause has been undermined by lack of support from
countries and industries eager to exploit Burma's riches and most
especially from Thailand which has long pursued an opportunistic policy of
"constructive engagement."  Thailand has repeatedly attempted  to force us
to withdraw from our righteous political cause in order to please the
brutal Burmese Military Regime, before we could be recognized as Burmese
refugees, with well-founded fear of persecution, in accordance with
internationally accepted refugee criteria.

We of FMASA consider current UNHCR procedures as an extension of the Thai
attempt to Divide and Rule Burmese refugees seeking sanctuary on Thai soil.
 We firmly believe that these current policies and procedures are in clear
violation of our rights as asylum seekers and that the international
community will recognize these policies as inspired by the Divide and Rule
policy of the Burmese military.

We sincerely urge local UNHCR and Thai authorities to modify their
rocedures with regard to Burmese refugees after humanitarian
considerations, to grant bona fide humanitarian assistance and real
protection to Burmese refugees and asylum seekers.

In conclusion, we make the following demands of the UNHCR and the relevant
Thai authorities: 

1) Remove the barbed wire recently placed within the Maneeloi Burmese
Students' Centre. 

2) Give equal rights to Burmese refugees. 

3) Adopt the fair and equal Thai cabinet's regulation regarding to all
Persons of Concern in BSC.

Central Executive Committee 
FMASA 
 

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