Asean MPs to press Burma for reform
Published: Nov 22, 2004 8:31 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
Southeast Asian parliamentarians will be in Kuala Lumpur from Friday to attend a three-day workshop organised by the 'Pro-democracy Myanmar Caucus-Malaysian Parliament' for discussion of the humans rights and democracy situation in Burma (Myanmar).
Southeast Asian parliamentarians will be in Kuala Lumpur from Friday to attend a three-day workshop organised by the 'Pro-democracy Myanmar Caucus-Malaysian Parliament' for discussion of the humans rights and democracy situation in Burma (Myanmar).
Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia will represented, while Burmese MPs living in exile will also attend.
In a statement, the organiser - a grouping of Malaysian parliamentarians - said it anticipates "that the controversial question of military-ruled Myanmar chairing Asean in 2006 will be a key focus of discussions".
International human rights organisations and non-governmental organisations had previously called for Burma to be expelled from Asean, to stop it from assuming the Asean chair.
Among the speakers are United Nations Special Envoy to Burma Razali Ismail and former Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan.
Messages will be delivered from Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and former Philippine president Corazon Aquino.
"Asean MPs have previously participated at various meetings on Myanmar. However, this is the first time that a workshop has been organised specifically on Burma, for parliamentarians, by parliamentarians," the statement said.
Crucial time
The workshop comes just weeks after a leadership shake-up in Rangoon and before the Asean Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Nov 29-30.
The Burmese government recently freed 30 political prisoners as part of its release of over 4,000 prisoners.
Interest groups worldwide lauded the move and called for additional releases from among more than 1,300 'prisoners of conscience' being detained.
Among those released was Min Ko Naing @ Paw U Tun (photo), a dissident and student leader arrested in 1989 during the national uprising against the military junta.
Min Ko Naing was 26 when arrested and has spent 15 years in jail. He enjoys a high profile as an activist, second only to that of pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi's party, the National League of Democracy, won a landslide victory in Burma's 1990 general election, but was not allowed to assume power.
Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia will represented, while Burmese MPs living in exile will also attend.
In a statement, the organiser - a grouping of Malaysian parliamentarians - said it anticipates "that the controversial question of military-ruled Myanmar chairing Asean in 2006 will be a key focus of discussions".
International human rights organisations and non-governmental organisations had previously called for Burma to be expelled from Asean, to stop it from assuming the Asean chair.
Among the speakers are United Nations Special Envoy to Burma Razali Ismail and former Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan.Messages will be delivered from Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and former Philippine president Corazon Aquino.
"Asean MPs have previously participated at various meetings on Myanmar. However, this is the first time that a workshop has been organised specifically on Burma, for parliamentarians, by parliamentarians," the statement said.
Crucial time
The workshop comes just weeks after a leadership shake-up in Rangoon and before the Asean Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Nov 29-30.
The Burmese government recently freed 30 political prisoners as part of its release of over 4,000 prisoners.
Interest groups worldwide lauded the move and called for additional releases from among more than 1,300 'prisoners of conscience' being detained.
Among those released was Min Ko Naing @ Paw U Tun (photo), a dissident and student leader arrested in 1989 during the national uprising against the military junta. Min Ko Naing was 26 when arrested and has spent 15 years in jail. He enjoys a high profile as an activist, second only to that of pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi's party, the National League of Democracy, won a landslide victory in Burma's 1990 general election, but was not allowed to assume power.
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