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Mizzima: Democracy supporters call



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       Democracy supporters call for tripartite dialogue in Burma

Bangkok, March 20, 2001
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)

Supporters of Burma democracy movement from various countries have
called for the increased international pressure on the Burmese military
junta to ensure that on-going talks between the junta and democratic
opposition are transformed into a ?genuine tripartite dialogue? between
the regime, democratic opposition and ethnic nationality groups.

Expressing their confidence in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi?s leadership and
commitment to tripartite dialogue, the democracy supporters around the
world in a meeting in Thailand urged the governments to escalate efforts
at this ?critical time? to support the transformation of talks into
tripartite dialogue.

The participants who represent 53 organizations from 28 countries from
Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and North America concluded their three-day
?International Strategy Meeting on Burma? last night at an undisclosed
location in Thailand.

They said that serious human rights violations and humanitarian crises
continue unabated in Burma. ?Military abuses, including forced labor,
forced relocation and violence against women, are still systematically
committed, especially in the non-Burman ethnic nationality states?, said
their statement issued today.

Since October last year, talks between the Burmese democratic leader Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and senior leaders of the military regime, namely State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC), had been taking place although
details of talks remain under wraps.

Acknowledging the role of economic and political pressure in pushing the
Burmese regime toward the initial talks with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the
participants of International Strategy Meeting appealed to governments
to refrain from providing any form of official economic or developing
assistance until a genuine tripartite agreement could be reached in
Burma.

?The talks are good. We support the talks. But we really want the talks
to become a genuine tripartite dialogue. If we don?t have a genuine
tripartite dialogue, then the problems in Burma will never be solved?,
said the spokesperson of the meeting.

The participants also demanded the junta to immediately release all
political prisoners, to allow the National League for Democracy (NLD)
and all political parties function freely, to cease all military
hostilities and to cease all forms of forced labor in the country.



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<center><b><u><font color="#0000FF"><font size=+2>Democracy supporters
call for tripartite dialogue in Burma</font></font></u></b></center>

<p><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>Bangkok, March 20, 2001</font></font>
<br><font color="#CC0000"><font size=+1>Mizzima News Group (<a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>www.mizzima.com</a>)</font></font>
<p><font size=+1>Supporters of Burma democracy movement from various countries
have called for the increased international pressure on the Burmese military
junta to ensure that on-going talks between the junta and democratic opposition
are transformed into a ?genuine tripartite dialogue? between the regime,
democratic opposition and ethnic nationality groups.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Expressing their confidence in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi?s
leadership and commitment to tripartite dialogue, the democracy supporters
around the world in a meeting in Thailand urged the governments to escalate
efforts at this ?critical time? to support the transformation of talks
into tripartite dialogue.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The participants who represent 53 organizations from 28
countries from Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and North America concluded
their three-day ?International Strategy Meeting on Burma? last night at
an undisclosed location in Thailand.</font>
<p><font size=+1>They said that serious human rights violations and humanitarian
crises continue unabated in Burma. ?Military abuses, including forced labor,
forced relocation and violence against women, are still systematically
committed, especially in the non-Burman ethnic nationality states?, said
their statement issued today.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Since October last year, talks between the Burmese democratic
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and senior leaders of the military regime,
namely State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), had been taking place
although details of talks remain under wraps.</font>
<p><font size=+1>Acknowledging the role of economic and political pressure
in pushing the Burmese regime toward the initial talks with Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi, the participants of International Strategy Meeting appealed to
governments to refrain from providing any form of official economic or
developing assistance until a genuine tripartite agreement could be reached
in Burma.</font>
<p><font size=+1>?The talks are good. We support the talks. But we really
want the talks to become a genuine tripartite dialogue. If we don?t have
a genuine tripartite dialogue, then the problems in Burma will never be
solved?, said the spokesperson of the meeting.</font>
<p><font size=+1>The participants also demanded the junta to immediately
release all political prisoners, to allow the National League for Democracy
(NLD) and all political parties function freely, to cease all military
hostilities and to cease all forms of forced labor in the country.</font>
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