Written by U Ne Oo on 1997-02-18
ADDED NOTE TO OUR FRIENDS: The SLORC's latest attack on Karen National Union appeared to have been prompted by the ethnic nationalities's a tri-partite dialogue last month. The SLORC's marathon onslaught on KNU was clearly intended to intimidate the Karens to conclude a ceasefire; but it is less clear how SLORC may avoid the call for a tri-partite dialogue if SLORC managed to conclude ceasefire with KNU (or) even if SLORC managed to suppress KNU. The onslaught and its timing being such an affront to the EU and ASEAN, since it occurred at the same time the EU-ASEAN meeting that was held in Singapore.
The use of force against KNU can be attributed to theed to the SLORC's increasing tendency to create a visibly violent situation in Burma (we may recall the incident of Kabaraye Pagoda bombing of December-96). The military junta clearly need the violence as a justification for its continuing rule. The continuing conflicts, such as violent military confrontations, will provide the legitimacy for junta to stay in power. In other words, such violence may, in effect, politically generate an obligation for general population and, particularly, military rank-and-files to obey the junta's rnta's rulings. It is much clearer now that Peace, Reconciliation and Dialogue constitute the greatest threat to the survival of SLORC dictatorship.
Burma's problems of ethnic nationalities, such as the KNU, can not be solved by military means. The Karen National Union has been in the struggle for nearly 50 years and the Karen freedom fighters are well-seasoned guerrillas. In a short note, the SLORC should not in anyway expect Karen National Union to accept its ceasefire demand by such intimidation.
TIME TO MOBILIZE SECURITY COUNCIL
The urgent attention by U.N. Security Council to the situation in Burma is
needed. Following are the letters to MR HISASHI OWADA(Japan), the president
of UNSC, and Secretary-General KOFI ANNAN. I have also written to U.S.
Secretary of State. We in Adelaide will continue to organize letters
and petitions, perhaps, in coming weeks. To our friends who always advocate
tougher measures on SLORC from US/UN, this certainly is the right moment in
calling for one.
-- With best regards,regards, U Ne Oo.
MEMBERS OF U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL IN 1997:
The five permanent members of the Security Council are China, France,
Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States.
The 10 non-permanent members of the Council in 1997 are Chile(1997), Costa
Rica(1998), Egypt(1997), Guinea-Bissau(1997), Japan(1998), Kenya(1998),
Poland(1997), Portugal(1998), Republic of Korea(1997) and Sweden(1998).
| H.E. Bill Richardson United States Ambassador to the U.N. U.S. Mission to the U.N. 799, United Nations Plaza New York N.Y. 10017, U.S.A. FAX:(+1 212) 415 4443 |
H.E. Sir John Weston, KCMG United Kingdoms Ambassador to the UN United Kingdoms Mission to the United Nations P.O. Box 5238 New York, NY 10150-5238 FAX:(+1 212) 745 9316 |
| H.E. Mr Qin Huasun Permanent representative of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations 155 West 66th Street New York N.Y. 10023, U., U.S.A. FAX:(+1 212) 870 0333 |
H.E. Mr. Alian Dejammet Permanent reparesentative of France to the United Nations One, DagHammerskjold Plaza 44th Floor, 245 East 47th Street New York, N.Y. 10017, U.S.A. FAX:(+1 212) 421 6889 |
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H.E. Ambassador Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations 885 Second Avenue, 46th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017, U.S.A. FAX:(+1 212) 832 0389 |
LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL
Dr U Ne Oo
48/2 Ayliffes Road
St Marys SA 5042
AUSTRALIA
February 18, 1997.
MR HISASHI OWADA
President of U.N. Security Council
Permanent Mision of Japan to the United Nations
885 Second Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10017, U.S.A.
FAX: (+1 212) 751 1966
Your Excellency,
I am a Burmese national currently residing in Adelaide, Australia and I call the President and Members of security Council's attention to the continuing political and military conflicts in Myanmar. I particularly wish to draw your attention to the Burmese military's recent attacks on the Karen National Union, one of the ethnic rebel groups in Myanmar, and also of the attacks on refugee camps by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Organization - a rebel faction supported by the Burmese military. The attackers have burned-d burned-down the Karen refugee camps in Thailand in an attempt to intimidate these refugees into returning to Burma. Such case of intimidation and attacks on refugees at the Thai-Burmese border has been a repeated occurrence since early 1995. Therefore I appeal the President and Members of Security Council to convene a U.N. Security Council meeting on Myanmar urgently.
I also enclosed my communication to the Secretary-General, KOFI ANNAN, with this letter. As noted in that communication, I believe a peace process in Burma thaturma that can be carried out under the auspices of United Nations and International Community has been the best way to solve Burma's political and refugee problems. I therefore call upon the U.N. Security Council to (1) impose an international arms embargo on Myanmar (2) create the safety Zones for refugees in Myanmar and (3) authorize to send the human rights monitors and a peace-keeping mission to Myanmar.
In closing, I thank Mr President and the Members of Security Council for your kind attention to this matter. I along withong with many other refugees from Burma are in the hope that the UNited Nations Security Council will help solve Burma's political problems and restore peace in Myanmar.
Yours respectfully and sincerely,
Sd. U Ne Oo
cc.
1. The Members of United Nations Security Council
2. United States Department of State
LETTER TO U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL
February 10, 1997.
H.E. Kofi Annan
Secretary-General of the United Nations
United Nations Secretariat
New York, N.Y. 10017, USA
Dear Secretary-General:
Re: Nationwide ceasefire, International arms embargo and Safety Zone in Burma
I am a Burmese national currently residing in Adelaide Australia and I firstly like to congratulate the Secretary-General and United Nations Organization for your efforts that has been made to reach recent peace agreement in Guatemala. Such peace accord in Guatemala that implemented under the auspices of United Nations and International Community has been a great inspiratiot inspiration to the people of Burma.
With this note, I firstly call the Secretary-General's attention to the continuing political and military conflicts in Burma. There have been repeated occurrences of attacks on Karen refugee camps by the SLORC-backed Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) on 28-29 January 1997. This attack has left 10,000 Karen refugee homeless. There are also reports of border conflicts between the DKBA/SLORC and Thai military. I therefore call upon you and UNHCR to make a greater effort to protect these refugse refugees in Thailand.
I also call your attention to the communication made to the former Secretary-General, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, on 26 February 1996. I should like to repeat the request you to make measures through the U.N. Security Council regarding with (1) implementing a nationwide ceasefire (2) creating Safety Zones and (3) imposing international arms embargo in Burma. the Burma's refugee problem has been a long-standing and the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. I therefore appeal y appeal you to make an immediate measure to solve this problem.
I call the Secretary-General's attention, particularly, to the incidents of the large-scale arbitrary arrest and detention of elected members of parliament in Burma. During the week of May 19, 1996, approximately 260 of elected members of National League for Democracy were detained by military authorities in order to prevent those M.P.s attending the convention to be held on May 26-29. Again in September 1996, a total of 560 NLD activists and supporters were arresere arrested prior to the All-Burma Congress to be held on that month. I believe such a large-scale arrests and detentions can be prevented by deploying the human rights monitors in Burma. I therefore call upon you and the U.N. Special Rapporteur to recommend, at this February-1997 Secession of commission on Human Rights meeting, the United Nations Security Council to send human rights monitors to Burma.
I also call your attention to the Statement from the recently held Ethnic Nationalities Seminar, of which I enclosed with thiwith this letter. The 15-ethnic nationality groups -- including hose groups that have already signed the military-ceasefire agreement with the Burmese army over the years -- are now calling for a tri-partite dialogue in Burma (One group, the Karen National Union, still has not enter military-ceasefire with Burmese Army primarily because of the SLORC is refusing to initiate the tri-partite dialogue.) I believe the United Nations is in a good position to supervise and monitor the ceasefires in Burma -- as the U.N. has recently made y made initiatives in Guatemala. I therefore ask the Secretary-General and U.N. Security Council authorize the deployment of U.N. civilian peace-keepers -- of which at some stage may include the U.N. military personnel -- in order to supervise the ceasefires in Burma.
In closing, I thank you for your kind attention to Burma matters. The continuing efforts made by United Nations to peace in Burma are most appreciated by the Burmese people.
Yours respectfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo.
copy to:
1. H.E. Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State, United States
Department of State, Washington D.C. 20520, U.S.A.
2. Ms Sadako Ogata, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Case
Postale 2500, CH - 1211 Geneva 2 Depot, Swizerland.
3. Mr Alvaro de Soto, U.N. Assistant-Secretary-General for Political
Affairs, U.N. Department of Political Affairs, UNited Nations New York NY
10017, U.S.A.
4. Mr Jan Eliasson, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, U.N.
Department of Humanitarian Affairs, Affairs, United Nations New York NY 10017,
U.S.A.
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