Statement of Foreign affairs' committee –

All Burma Federation of Student Unions

upon the current political situation

1. A result of the long period of rule by the military government, lack of

a constitution, imprisonment and harassment of leaders elected in 1990,

absence of internal peace or national reconciliation and human rights

abuses, including those against legal political parties, is that political,

economic and educational institutions are decaying. In order to solve such

problems, we, the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, demand that

political forces, in accordance with tradition, meet, discuss and seek an

appropriate political solution.

2. The student masses believe that the People's Parliament urgently needs

to be convened in line with the 1990 election results, which was demanded

in student demonstrations in 1998. We also believe that meaningful dialogue

between the National League for Democracy or Committee Representative for

People Parliament and the current Military Government will overcome the

problems existing in Burma.

3. At the present time, there is news of secret dialogue that has been

initiated between the National League for Democracy and the State Peace and

Development Council military government. Nevertheless, National League for

Democracy leaders, Chairperson U Aung Shwe, Vice-chairperson U Tin Oo and

General secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are under house arrest. Moreover,

other National League for Democracy leaders and politicians are being

detained because of their beliefs. The National League for Democracy is

also banned from communicating with the mass of its party members and from

organizing its affairs. We believe that under these circumstances, true

political dialogue is not possible.

4. The National League for Democracy is not only a legal party based on and

founded during the1988 uprisings, but also a party that was supported by

the people and won the 1990 election. Contact with the people and seeking

people's wishes and support of its actions are very important for National

League for Democracy as a people's party. At the beginning of the dialogue

process with the State Peace and Development Council, the development and

state of the dialogue should be kept secret. However, we are concerned that

if information is kept in secret for a long time, it will give the

appearance that the National League for Democracy has cut contact with

people, including party grassroots, and unnecessary doubts may appear.

5. In order to resolve issues such as National reconciliation peacefully,

Foreign affairs' committee (All Burma Federation of Student Unions) wants

meaningful political dialogue. In order to develop this, we believe that

the following issues need to be addressed in the current dialogue:

(a) The public release of information on the current situation of

high-level dialogue between National League for Democracy and State Peace

and Development Council in public.

(b) The release all of political prisoners including the Chairperson of All

Burma Federation of Student Unions, Ko Min Ko Naing, without any exception.

(c) To allow the legal rights of legal political parties and other basic

unions, including student unions.

Foreign affairs' committee

All Burma Federation of Student Unions

Date - 1 March 2001

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Foreign Affairs Committee

All Burma Federation of Student Unions

Phone: (66 55) 533 752

(66 55) 542 724

Email: bakatha@loxinfo.co.th

bakatha@cscoms.com

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