Burma in Serious Breach of ASEAN Charter: Civil society groups call for strong Human Rights Body and

placement of Burma on Agenda of 15th ASEAN Summit

For Immediate Release July 17, 2009 Sixty-nine civil society organizations and networks representing Burma and the Asia-Pacific region have demanded that ASEAN take firm action in response to Burma’s continued non-compliance with the ASEAN Charter. In an open letter titled “Burma is a Key Benchmark for ASEAN,” groups urged ASEAN foreign ministers to place the issue of democratization and systematic human rights violations in Burma on the agenda of the 15th ASEAN Summit in October 2009. The 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting is currently in session in Phuket, Thailand. They are expected to set the agenda for the upcoming ASEAN summit, as well as adopt the Terms of Reference for the new ASEAN Human Rights Body. “ASEAN countries must address Burma’s flagrant violations of its new charter. As long as the military continues to systematically attack civilians and jail opposition leaders, how can we believe in the military’s repeated claims of bringing democracy to the country?” said Aung Myo Min, Coordinator of the Task Force on Asean and Burma (TFAB), a network of Burma's civil society actors working to promote a people-centered ASEAN that is supportive to the cause of democracy, human rights, and peace in Burma. In the past ten years Burma’s military regime has destroyed over 3,200 villages in eastern Burma. An upsurge of attacks in the past month, that aims to annihilate Karen opposition before the 2010 election, has caused over 6,400 people to flee for safety along the Thai-Burma border--the latest wave of ethnic refugees fleeing from the Burmese military’s atrocities. The letter calls on ASEAN Foreign Ministers to employ a Charter provision which states that, “in the case of serious breach of the Charter or non-compliance, the matter shall be referred to the ASEAN Summit for decision.” The letter also supports the formation of an ASEAN Human Rights Body that has key mechanisms for independence and the protection of human rights. The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting takes place during the continued sham trial of Burmese democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, which has drawn international condemnation for its corrupt process. “At this critical time, ASEAN cannot afford to be weak on human rights. ASEAN leaders must take more firm measures and not let Burma slide by on false promises. Otherwise, it risks losing its credibility to the international community,” said Khin Ohmar, Coordinator of Burma Partnership, a network of Burmese and regional civil society organizations that seeks to bring greater support in the Asia-Pacific for democracy, human rights and freedom in Burma. CONTACT: Aung Myo Min, Task Force on Asean and Burma: +66 (0) 81 992 5293

Soe Aung, Burma Partnership: +66 (0) 81 839 9816