Press Statement by Charles Santiago in Klang on Wednesday, 27^th May 2009:

ASEANs pussy-footing on Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi violates ASEAN charter

I call on ASEAN to immediately suspend all ties – economic, military and diplomatic – with the Burmese/Myanmar military junta until steps to end the violation of human rights and the release of all political prisoners are initiated as part of a true national reconciliation in that country.

The political prisoners include Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of other individuals who are either under house arrest or are incarcerated behind bars merely because of their pro-democracy activities and aspirations. Aung San Suu Kyi, in particular, has been under an unjust six-year house arrest, a sentence due to end this Thursday on May 27, 2009. On the pretext of an intrusion by a US national several weeks ago, the trumped up charges against her will likely be extended for another three to five years.

More importantly the Burmese regime should bring about a reconciliation with its own people. Yet again, this cannot be done until the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who symbolises the democratic aspirations of the Burmese people.

This would also signal the junta's readiness to come to terms with its decades' old hijacking and distortion of 'the Socialist Way' and insulation of Burma from what it sees as the attempt of Western powers, particularly the US, to determine the country's future.

To paraphrase a popular quote of Aung San Suu Kyi, ASEAN should use its liberties to help Burmese promote theirs.

As of now, ASEAN as a regional bloc involving Burma have failed to do its part in compelling Burma to end its violations of human rights.Some, such as Malaysia, have even acquiesced to their multinational corporations benefiting from the oppression in the war- and poverty-torn country.

As an ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) parliamentarian, I strongly call on ASEAN to stop protecting Burma’s regime and remove them from the grouping until and unless Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners are free and genuine efforts to begin national reconciliation are underway.

Efforts by the international community to hold the regime accountable for its criminal acts through targeted economic sanctions and UN Security Council actions have been cushioned by ASEAN’s (and China’s) economic and political buffering of the regime.

I support AIPMCs call to ASEAN member states to consider imposing targeted sanctions on the military regime generals and its administration should they still fail to respect the ASEAN Charter and continue to oppress its people.

Change cannot be achieved in Burma if ASEAN’s current positions and policies remain.

* Charles Santiago, Selangor DAP Vice Chairman & MP for Klang