Human Rights Watch today called for immediate international pressure on Burma to lift new government restrictions on the opposition party National League for Democracy (NLD). In the past two days, NLD General Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD Deputy Chairman Tin Oo have again been put under de facto house arrest and more than one hundred other NLD members are believed to have been detained.
The Burmese military government apparently believes it can suppress the NLD without paying any price internationally," said Asia Division Washington Director Mike Jendrzejczyk. "It's time for concerted action by the U.N., ASEAN, and others. Diplomatic appeals alone are not enough."
Human Rights Watch urged the following specific measures:
Razali Ismail, the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy for Burma, scheduled to visit Burma from October 6-8, should publicly call for immediate and permanent lifting of restrictions on the NLD and an end to the harassment of NLD party activists.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Burma is a member, should make clear to Burma that its actions risk disrupting ASEAN's relations with key aid and trading partners. ASEAN leaders have defended the 1997 decision to grant membership to Burma on the ground that engagement would induce reform in Burma. ASEAN leaders should use their influence to insist on immediate lifting of restrictions on the NLD and respect for basic rights.
The European Union (EU) should immediately announce that it will not be able to proceed with plans for an EU-ASEAN summit in Laos in December if the restrictions are not lifted and if Burmese officials responsible for the recent crackdown are on the summit invitation list.
Japan and Australia should put on hold planned workshops with the Burmese government until restrictions on the NLD are lifted. The first Japanese joint economic reform seminar took place in Rangoon in June. The next meeting of the Australian human rights workshops, aimed at creating a national human rights commission, are currently set for October.
On the afternoon of September 21, Aung San Suu Kyi, Tin Oo, and eight NLD youth members attempted to board a train bound for the northern city of Mandalay, but were told that tickets were "sold out." The group waited on the platform for subsequent trains, but officials from the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) government did not permit them to board any outbound trains. Early on the morning of September 22, authorities forcibly returned Aung San Suu Kyi to her home and placed her under house arrest. The government has said Tin Oo and the eight NLD youth reportedly are being held in a "government guesthouse."
On Thursday, police reportedly rounded up some 100 NLD supporters who had gathered at the
station in support of the group. Their whereabouts are also unknown but they are believed to be in police custody.
This is the second attempt in recent weeks by Aung San Suu Kyi, Tin Oo, and other NLD members to travel outside of the capital. On August 24, they tried to visit Kungyangon Township to organize the NLD youth wing there, but were forced off the road in the town of Dala on the outskirts of Rangoon. After a nine day standoff, the group was physically forced back to the capital on September 2. The NLD leaders, who have been held under house arrest off and on for years, were again put under house arrest. The restrictions were removed twelve days later following an international outcry.
Authorities reportedly detained eleven other senior NLD officers on September 13 and 14 on unknown charges. The ruling SPDC continues to hold over 1000 political prisoners, including members of ethnic minority groups.
