Mon Human Rights commentary Considerations on Human Rights and Political Progress
March 30, 2009
There has been a new process of international community’s involvement for the national reconciliation in Burma. Recently, an ASEAN Summit, the Thai Foreign Minister and an official from US State Department have attempted to engage with the regime to encourage national reconciliation in the country.
However, both pro-democracy oppositions and ethnic political groups have concerns about what strategies the international community will use in pushing the regime to move forward towards national reconciliation.
Can national reconciliation be built upon the SPDC’s 7-point roadmap to “Disciplined Democracy”? Not likely! The process has been designed by the SPDC with no input from the opposition.
Therefore, the international community should be careful to include all groups and be sure to work with a deep understanding of conflict in Burma.
If the SPDC has real intentions to bring about a peaceful political settlement, it must do the following:
1. Unconditionally release of all political prisoners and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
2. Declare of countrywide ceasefire with non-ceasefire groups.
3. Review the steps of 7-point roadmap.
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