CSW visit to the Thailand-Burma Border 16/11/2007
Executive summary
The brutality of Burma’s ruling military regime, known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), was brought to the attention of the world in September 2007, when the regime launched a severe crack down against tens of thousands of Buddhist monks and civilians who had participated in peaceful protests. The demonstrations were an expression of many years of deep-seated frustration among Burmese people at the regime’s tyrannical rule, including the suppression of democracy and basic human rights and the gross mismanagement of Burma’s economy. Sparked by dramatic rises in fuel prices, the nationwide protests broadened into a movement for democracy. The regime’s response was brutal but characteristic. While the exact death toll is unknown, it is believed by reliable sources that hundreds of people were killed. According to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners in Burma (AAPPB), at least 4,000 people were arrested, and while many have since been released, arrests continue to be made. A total of at least 2,000 political prisoners are in jail in Burma today.
The international community has responded to the crisis with increased attention at the United Nations Security Council, renewed efforts by the UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari to negotiate a dialogue between the regime and the democracy movement, and further sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union (EU). The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), however, while expressing concern about the situation, has failed to take any concrete measures to address the situation.
It is vital that the international community, and in particular China, India and ASEAN, recognise that the events of September 2007 were simply the tip of the iceberg. The military junta in Burma has been perpetrating gross violations of human rights, amounting to crimes against humanity, war crimes and attempted genocide, for 45 years. The violations committed by the SPDC against the country’s ethnic nationalities, particularly the Karen, Karenni and Shan, have received far less international attention than the events of September 2007. Taken together, the catalogue of brutality by the SPDC over many years makes it one of the worst regimes in the world. While ultimately change can only come from within Burma, the international community must do all it possibly can to increase pressure on the SPDC to enter into meaningful tripartite dialogue with the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the ethnic nationalities, to cease its gross violation of human rights, and to move to a transition to federal democracy. The international community should also provide increased support to Burma’s democracy movement, including financial and other assistance to indigenous human rights organisations working along Burma’s borders, and humanitarian aid to the Internally Displaced People.
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