|
Malaysia should obtain a
direct explanation from Burma military government over the arrest of
its Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt
Media Statement
by
Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew
(Kuala Lumpur,
Thursday):
We are very concerned with the arrest of Burmese
Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt who was largely viewed as a pro-reform
leader of the military junta. The removal of Gen Khin Nyunt has cast a
shadow over the seven-stage pro-democracy roadmap which was announced by
Khin Nyunt in August 2003 after his appointment as Prime Minister.
We are
also very concerned with the safety of Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of
the National League of Democracy (NLD) now that the Burmese military junta
seems to have taken an even harder stance under the control of General Than
Shwe. The new Prime Minister Lt-Gen Soe Win is largely seen as just another
puppet put up by him. Aung San Suu Kyi, who led her party to a landslide
win(85% of the total votes) in 1990 that was not recognized by the ruling
military junta, was placed under house arrest for the third time in
September last year. Many of her MPs were thrown into jail since 1990.
We are
disappointed with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's response
to the press yesterday. He was quoted as saying that he has no real picture
of the situation and the nearest opportunity to get a direct explanation
from Burma on the issue would be at the Asean summit in Laos in November.
Abdullah and other Asean leaders should demand an immediate explanation from
the Burmese government instead of waiting for the summit in November. This
has further eroded the credibility of the so-called "constructive
engagement" approach taken by Malaysia and other Asean members.
It is
important and essential for Asean nations and the world community to extend
their solidarity with the Burmese people in their struggle for political
space, human rights and democracy. We are not free when our neighbors are
not.
(21/10/2004)
* Ronnie Liu
Tian Khiew, DAP International Secretary
|
http://dapmalaysia.org