Rights of humans are beyond boundaries! Return peace and democracy to the Burmese people! These are the cries of the Global Campaign for Solidarity and Democracy in Burma, which took place in Bangkok on 16 May.

Participated by several organisations within Thailand, the campaign included a series of events which started with a demonstration in front of the Burmese Embassy in Sathorn Road, followed by lighting of candles as a symbolic gesture of Peace in Burma.{mosimage}Rights of humans are beyond boundaries! Return peace and democracy to the Burmese people! These are the cries of the Global Campaign for Solidarity and Democracy in Burma, which took place in Bangkok on 16 May.

Participated by several organisations within Thailand, the campaign included a series of events which started with a demonstration in front of the Burmese Embassy in Sathorn Road, followed by lighting of candles as a symbolic gesture of Peace in Burma.

Next, the group went over to the United Nations Secretariat Building in Rajdamnern Nok Avenue and submitted a letter to UN Information Services (UNIS) chief David Lazarus before visiting the Officer in charge of Burma at the Department of East Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Ayudhya Road.

The campaign was motivated by increasing political conflict in Burma, where even so-called superpowers like the United States, China, and India; and other international organisations such as the United Nations, European Union, or ASEAN seem helpless to improve the situation.

In a press statement issued during the campaign, the group said that contradicting standpoints and competing interests of various countries in Burma lessen the credibility and effectiveness of policies in the country.

These contradictions enable the military regime to exploit country policies and further oppress and commit atrocities on people while blatantly ignoring human rights standard, and disregarding concerns of international communities.

ASEAN’s effectiveness was also questioned as it attempts to engage Burma through productive policies and ASEAN’s policies to change the regime gradually may not seem like an appropriate strategy, said the group.

Meanwhile, the group claimed that more than 100,000 refugees are living without future and hopes in the refugee camps for more than 17 years.

Citing a report in www.irrawaddy.org, the group said “ the number of Internally Displaced Persons now stands more than 17,000 from Karen and Pegu.

“Burmese Army Division 66 is conducting battalion-sized patrols throughout Toungoo district, Pegu Division, forcing more than 5,000 people into hiding.

“There are 10,000 displaced people in Nyaunglebin District, Pegu Division alone”.

The group said that Burmese IDPs living along the Thai-Burma borders and elsewhere are living in conditions “worse than animals.

“Burmese workers are being oppressed, harassed; many died of ill-treatment, human trafficking and sexual abused by Burmese children and women occur frequently,” they stressed.

The group claimed that these acts have continued due to the fact that the superpowers have turned their eyes away, remain in silence, or simply interpret the situation as “Burmese internal affairs”.

They condemned the continued human rights violations against the Burmese people and urged:

• The UN, with special emphasis on the Security Council, needs to have a clear resolution on Burma to keep stability and peace in the region.
• The authorities to intervene and pressure for the release of political leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and others political prisoners; that true process to lessen the tensions and national reconciliation through tri-partisan dialogues should be made.
• ASEAN and the world community should reconsider new policies and standpoint on Burma, and should support the Security Council closely so thar national reconciliation begin in Burma.
• Thai government to pay more attention to the humanitarian concerns of the Burmese citizens, such as the ethnic minorities, IDPs, refugees, workers, women and children who are victims of human trafficking, especially those who live on the Thai-Burma borders.
• The government to have policies that will encourage democracy, humanitarian policies, human rights, and friendship with the Burmese people.

The groups who joined the campaign (in alphabetical order) were:

Alliance of Democratic Trade Union
Asia Pacific Workers Solidarity Links Thailand
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
Peoples Media Foundation
Slum Women’s Network
Student Activities Information Resource
Thai Labour Campaign
The Institute for Social Research and Action
Women Development Center
Workers Democracy