Keep Up the International Pressure: Activists

By ARKAR MOE
Burmese politicians and activists are continuing the campaign to urge the International community and world leaders to maintain pressure on the military regime.
Win Tin, a prominent politician and executive member of National League for Democracy (NLD) told The Irrawaddy on Thursday international pressure has given the democracy movement “a bit of breathing space.”
As the current chair of Asean, Thailand called on May 19 for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi. In a statement on behalf of Asean, the Thai government said it was ready to help with national reconciliation and democracy efforts in Burma.
Recently, Burmese state-run-media has exposed a rift between the junta and the current Thai chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) over comments he made about the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The junta is counter attacking critical comments from neighboring countries: “Foreign countries should realize that the present case concerning Aung San Suu Kyi is not ‘trumped up’ by the government, as some have been willing to claim,” said a statement sent by the foreign ministry to all Burmese embassies.

Ashin Issariya, a leader of All Burma Monks Alliance (ABMA), said, “I agree and welcome condemnation of the international community. I think it is very effective and has an impact on the Burmese government. If Asean suspends Burma, it will be more effective because Asean has protected the Burmese government in the past.

Han Thar Myint, a spokesperson for the NLD, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, “The international criticism is very important for Burmese pro-democracy activists and the Burmese people, because it makes them feel good. Now, Asean has also criticized the Burmese military government. I think it is important because Burma is a member of Asean.”

He said the image of the Burmese military junta has been tarnished, and, “I think they are trying to release international pressure, so they postponed Aung San Suu Kyi’s verdict.”

Activists have called for the international community and world leaders to take more effective actions against the junta.

Win Tin said, “UN chief Ban Ki-moon should go to Burma as soon as possible. But, if he leaves Burma empty-handed, it will be a set back. We must keep up the pressure.”
Many activists said the military regime’s real fear is the UN Security Council.

“The only body that the junta really fears is the Security Council,” said the former UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro. “I have personal evidence of this. So the Security Council must address this immediately as a matter of absolute urgency.”

Some observers have called for the International Criminal Court to become involved.

The monk-activist, Ashin Issariya, said, “Now, International organizations and governments need to take effective measures against the military junta. We should build a case for human-rights abuses by military junta and call for the Security Council to take action to bring it before the International Criminal Court.”

Ashin Issariya said the UN is aware of the scale and severity of rights abuses in Burma, and it is incumbent on the Security Council to authorize a commission of inquiry into crimes against humanity and war crimes in the country.

Pro-democracy leader Suu Kyi’s trial has drawn worldwide condemnation and is seen as an effort of the junta to detain the political leader through elections scheduled for 2010.