Burma/Myanmar
The Elders call for a peaceful transition in Burma/Myanmar to a more open society characterised by the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights.
The Elders also join with others to press for the release of all political prisoners, including the Burmese political leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Appointed an honorary Elder when the group was formed, Daw Suu Kyi has never been able to join her fellow Elders, but they always keep an empty chair for her at their meetings.
Burma, also known as Myanmar, has been ruled by a military regime since 1962. The current regime refused to honour the results of the 1990 elections in which Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won decisively.
Daw Suu Kyi has been imprisoned in her own home by the military regime for long periods since 1989 and is currently being held in Yangon’s Insein prison after being charged in May 2009 with violating the terms of her house arrest. She is among the more than 2,100 political prisoners currently being detained in Burma.
The Elders condemn Daw Suu Kyi’s re-arrest as an attempt to once again exclude her from participating in the elections that are due to be held in 2010. The Elders urge ASEAN governments to make it clear to Burma’s leaders that their actions are jeopardising the legitimacy of elections due in 2010 and the results will not be recognised unless minimum conditions are met. Those conditions include the release of all political prisoners, an inclusive national process to review the 2008 constitution, participation by the NLD and other parties in the election, and supervision of the poll by international observers.
Political reform is crucial so that the government of Burma can be responsive to the needs of the people. The economic and political control currently exercised by the regime leaves most of the Burmese people struggling to feed themselves. The population also has little access to basic healthcare and sanitation.
The devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis in May 2008 compounded the poverty, hunger and repression endured by the Burmese people. While the international community responded swiftly after Cyclone Nargis, the amount of humanitarian aid per capita that the population receives from donors is still pitifully low compared with other developing countries.
The Elders are calling on the government of Burma to increase spending on the health, education and welfare of the people and to accept further humanitarian assistance to help alleviate their country’s poverty and suffering.
In recognition of current reviews underway of international approaches to the country, The Elders continue to monitor events carefully and support efforts to pressure for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners, promoting an open dialogue on the political reform process and improving the lives of all the people of Burma.
