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Junta 'Worse' than Nargis

By ARKAR MOE Friday, January 22, 2010
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The president of the human rights committee of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) said on Thursday that human rights violations by the Burmese junta have caused more damaged than Cyclone Nargis and called for pro-democracy leader Aug San Suu Kyi and 13 opposition elected parliamentarians to be released from prison.

Aquilino Pimentel, a Philippines senator and president of the IPU human rights committee, made his remarks during a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. (right) presents the position of the Philippine senate against Burma for the 2006 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during the meeting of the Asean+3 Group. (Source: www.senate.gov.ph)

The IPU, founded in 1889, is an international organization of parliaments that works for peace and for the establishment of representative democracy.

"In the year 2008, Burma was hit by a terrible catastrophe, by typhoon Nargis, and because there was so much devastation people thought that was the worst thing that could happen to Burma," said Pimentel. "But actually [it was] not. It was rather the deprivation of the rights of the people by the ruling junta."

Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the southwest of the country on May 2-3, 2008, left about 140,000 people dead in its wake. The cost of repairing the damage was estimated at more than US $4 billion.

"Nothing much seems to be happening in terms of advancing the cause of democracy in Burma," he told journalists.

Aye Thar Aung, the secretary the Committee Representing People’s Parliament (CRPP) in Burma, told The Irrawaddy on Friday, “Burmese parliamentarians are very important and vital for Burmese politics because they were elected by the people in the 1990 general election. They are legitimate, and they have the mandate to lead the country towards democracy.”

The National League for Democracy (NLD) formed the CRPP on Sept. 16, 1998, after the Burmese military junta failed to respond to calls to recognize the results of the 1990 elections. The committee was supported by 251 elected parliament members, including members of parliament from other parties. The CRPP moved to annul all laws promulgated since Sept 18, 1998, and called for the release of all political prisoners.

Aye Thar Aung said, “The Burmese military regime does not negotiate or talk with members of the CRPP. The authorities should talk with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the CRPP about the 2010 election. Actually, they must recognize the results of 1990 general election.” 

The IPU Human Rights Committee, which has just ended a review of 273 cases of parliamentarians in 29 countries, is appealing to governments for clarification of their situation.

The committee resolution urged  India, China and the Association of South East Asian Nations (Aseam) to call for the release of the 13 elected Burmese parliamentarians held in prison.



COMMENTS (5)
 
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Tide Wrote:
27/01/2010
The Irrawaddy news is worse than the Myanmar state-owned news.

Moe Aung Wrote:
25/01/2010
What an indictment of the military regime Pimentel's remarks were! They will fall on deaf ears as usual, no sense of shame and honor, only led by greed and selfishness.

The CRPP as a living symbol of the 1990 election results that the generals shamelessly reneged on must continue as a reminder of the regime's "democratic credentials."

Zam Mang Wrote:
24/01/2010
It is so sad that many lives were lost when Nargis hit the delta region. Nargis had no heart for human life. I feel sadder when fellow human beings like Than Shwe and his fellows make 50 million people of Burma suffer just for their own power. Than Shwe is worse than Nargis.

Tom Tun Wrote:
23/01/2010
The majurity of people around the world critize the action of the Burmese regime, which is of course the right thing. However, there are some main organizations supporting and recognizing the regime as a legitimate government playing very much a vital role for Burma political landscape. Those organizations are as guilty as the Burmese regime. Organizations such as the UN, ASEAN, and governments such as China, India and some Europian countries, even Australia and the very popular Obama administration of the US. Their morality reflects only upon their interests. These organizations are the ones who are really supporting the behaviour of the Burmese regime. What if these organizations do not recognize the regime as a legitimate government and bring them to Human Rights trial for their actions, same as some other human rights violators from some other parts of the world, will human rights abuses continue in Burma? These organizations are the very oxygen for the regime fire.

Kerry Wrote:
22/01/2010
ASEAN has a huge role in freeing Burma from this atrocity.

If ANY country or company is doing business with the Burmese military at this time they are complicit.

No excuses.








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