It’s time ASEAN and the UN step up to the task: Investigate abuses, reject election and support Aung San Suu Kyi, urges AIPMC

The release of Aung San Suu Kyi offers new hope for Myanmar. But her release does not solve any of the fundamental problems in the country. The world must continue to work for the freedom of the people of Myanmar.

Another 2,200 political prisoners remain behind bars. Last week’s election reignited ethnic tensions and triggered fresh fighting along the Thai-Myanmar border. Any return to fighting increases the risk of fresh human rights abuses primarily targeting the country’s ethnic nationalities and of new waves of refugees being forced to leave their homes for safety […]

It’s time ASEAN and the UN step up to the task: Investigate abuses, reject election and support Aung San Suu Kyi, urges AIPMC

The release of Aung San Suu Kyi offers new hope for Myanmar. But her release does not solve any of the fundamental problems in the country. The world must continue to work for the freedom of the people of Myanmar.

Another 2,200 political prisoners remain behind bars. Last week’s election reignited ethnic tensions and triggered fresh fighting along the Thai-Myanmar border. Any return to fighting increases the risk of fresh human rights abuses primarily targeting the country’s ethnic nationalities and of new waves of refugees being forced to leave their homes for safety […]

Burma’s Democracy Leaders Hold Parliamentary Hearings in Kuala Lumpur; Malaysian MPs Support Call for National Reconciliation

Representatives of the Ten Alliances of Burma’s democracy and ethnic rights movement held hearings in both the Lower and Upper houses of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 7 and 8 July, respectively. Based on the undemocratic flaws in the 2008 Constitution and the military regime’s unjust election laws, the delegation called for the government of Malaysia to denounce this year’s elections unless the military regime changes course[…]

Over 100 ASEAN Legislators Petition for Tough Action on Myanmar’s Regime

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) has today communicated a message from lawmakers in the ASEAN region to ASEAN leaders attending the 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam to urgently take tough action on Myanmar’s military regime should its negotiations and engagement to obtain a clear and tangible commitment for a free and fair elections in the country fails.

105 Members of Parliament from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, and Singapore endorsed a petition urging discussion and robust action on the issue of Myanmar.[…]

Parliamentarians Issue Petition to ASEAN Leaders

To ASEAN Leaders attending 16th ASEAN Summit (Hanoi, Vietnam) to take action on the issue of Myanmar should further engagement fail to yield desirable concessions/ results.

On 8 March 2010, the military government of Myanmar published new laws governing the electoral process for the nation’s general elections planned for later this year. Numerous provisions in the laws guarantee that the elections will not be open and inclusive of Myanmar’s diverse population, notably excluding participation of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and Myanmar’s leading pro-democracy icon, Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners who form a substantial share of the leadership of non-military-aligned movements and political parties. […]

ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) is outraged by the election laws recently announced by the military government of Myanmar

Repeated calls for assurances that the upcoming elections will be free and inclusive have gone unheeded as the new laws make clear the regime’s absolute lack of commitment to democratic principles to ensure free, fair and inclusive elections.

Under the new election laws all political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, are excluded from forming or participating in political parties and from contesting seats in the national and state assemblies. Certain provisions of the new laws appear to specifically target Aung San Suu Kyi, forcing her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) which overwhelmingly won in the previous 1990 elections, to expel her should it wish to register with the new Election Commission and contest the upcoming elections.[…]

Fair labour rights in Myanmar benchmark for country’s 2010 elections

As Myanmar plans for general elections this year, the country’s military rulers have announced their commitment to ASEAN and the international community to conduct a truly democratic election and ensure a “free and fair” electoral process. The country has asserted that it will respect the rights of its citizens as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter […]

Asean MPs requests Thailand to halt plans to return Burma asylum seekers

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) is gravely concerned for the well being of unregistered Karen refugees currently residing in displacement sites in Tha Song Yang District, Tak. Announcements last month from the Thai government relating to the planned forced repatriation of the refugees beginning in February 2010 have caused renewed concern for their safety. […]

Statements from ASEAN MPs

The AIPMC’s website has statements from many ASEAN MPs about the situation in Burma. Go to the website.

Asian Voices: Myanmar’s Threat to Regional Security

A compilation of new and previously published articles by the members of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) that looks at issues of Burma’s effects on the region. Download the booklet