Written by U Ne Oo on 1998-09-21
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia.
21st September 1998.
Hon. Didier Opertti(Uruguay)
President, 53rd Session
United d Session
United Nations General Assembly
UN Headquarters, New York NY 10017
United States of America.
Dear Hon. President:
I am a Burmese national currently residing in Australia. I call your attention to recent arrest and detention of elected members of parliament by Burma's ruling military council, State Peace and Development Council(SPDC: formerly known as State Law and Order Restoration Council), and, also, the lack of progress towards transfer of power to the democratically elected government. The ruling military council, SPDC, also fails-- especially in this year --to cooperate with United Nations to improve its human rights records. The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) since 1992 has been urging, through its resolutions, the military council in Burma to improve its human rights record and also to transfer power to democratically elected government. I therefore urge the 53rd Session of UN General Assembly to take appropriate measures to ensure Burma's military authorities comply with UN General Assembly Resolutions, A/52/137.solutions, A/52/137. Beginning from early this month, the military council unlawfully detain nearly 800 opposition party members and supporters, including 195 members of parliament elected in May 1990 General Election. These arrests on opposition members are made in order to prevent the elected members from convening the parliament. It should be noted that the military council unlawfully arresting the elected members of parliament to prevent participating in such political process constitute Burmese military violation of the Operative parrative paragraphs(5), (8)and(11) of UNGA Resolution A/52/137.
Particularly in this year, the military junta has been refusing to cooperate with UN Secretary-General. For example, the Special Envoy of Secretary-General, Mr Alvaro de Soto, had been told off last January by military authorities not to interfere the "internal affairs" of Burma. Recently in August, the military junta refuses to accept the visit of Secretary-General's personal emissary, Ambassador Razali Ismil of Malaysia and the President of 51st UN General Assembll Assembly. The Burmese military authorities since 1996 do not allow the Human Rights Special Rapporteur, Mr Rajsoomer Lallah, to visit Burma. It should be noted that these non-cooperations of ruling Burmese military council to United Nations System constitute that council, SPDC, not complying in particular of the Operative paragraphs (1),(7)and(13) of UNGA Resolution A/52/137.
Most disturbing point of all is that the Burmese military council has not been taking any step towards reconciliation and substantive dialogue with thue with the opposition party, National League for Democracy (NLD). Despite the arrest of and intimidation on its members and supporters by Burmese military authorities, the NLD has always been making effort to secure dialogue with the military junta. During July, Burmese military authorities preventing the General Secretary of NLD, Daw Aung Suu Kyi, from visiting to her party members. This restriction along with recent detention of 195 elected members of parliament constitute Burmese military junta denying to provide the leaders of ders of NLD party unrestricted c ommunication with and physical access to the party supporters. These violation, again, are the Burmese military council's failure to comply with the Operative Paragraphs(4)and(6) of the UNGA Resolution A/52/137.
Notwithstanding such restriction and intimidation by ruling military council, I like to inform Hon. President and the members of United Nations General Assembly that, a committee to represent elected members of parliament has been formed on 17 September 1998 in accordance with a propith a proper democratic procedure. The committee has the mandate of democratically elected parliament as it is having the endorsement of the majority of representatives and also enjoy the support by ethnic minority rebel groups.
I believe this is an appropriate time for UN General Assembly and UN System to ensure the military government of Burma comply with the UNGA Resolutions. Furthermore, UNGA should make efforts to encourage parties to the conflict in Burma moving towards dialogue and reconciliation. As a first practical practical step, this 53rd Session of UN General Assembly must demand the Burmese military council appointed representative, U Ohn Gyaw, to have endorsement of democratically elected parliament. In the event of State Peace and Development Council fails to secure U Ohn Gyaw's appointment as a Burma's Foreign Minister by democratically elected parliament, the United Nations General Assembly should refuse to give the floor to that Foreign Minister.
In closing, I thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
Yours respectfully and sincerely,
(Sd.U NE OO)
Copy to:
1. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations Headquarters,
New York NY 10017, U.S.A.
2. Hon.Madeleine K Albright, US Secretary of State, US Department of State, Washington DC 20520, USA.
3. Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, c/-UN Centre for Human Rights, Palias des Nations, CH 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
