Alliance Groups Call for Further Support of Proposal by the 88 Generation Students
October 4, 2006
Formed by the Burma-Thailand border based alliance groups, the Signature Campaign Committee (SCC) is calling for mass support for the 88 Generation Students signature campaign, demanding that the current regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), immediately releases all political detainees and begins a tri-partite dialogue for national reconciliation and democratization in Burma. The campaign was released on October 2 with the aim of putting widespread international pressure on the SPDC within two weeks. The proposal of the 88 Generation Students reads:
Burma is currently reaching crisis point. It is time to identify resolutions to solve many problems the country faces. To fulfill the needs of the nation, Burma merits a tripartite dialogue between the current regime the State Peace and Development Council, the 1990 election winning party the National League for Democracy, and ethnic nationalities.
Thus, for the national interest and national reconciliation of Burma, we hereby sign and request the State Peace and Development Council to:
Immediately and unconditionally release all political detainees including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Khun Htun Oo and other ethnic leaders, and the 88 generation students leaders Min Ko Naing, Min Zay Ya, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe and Pyone Cho; and
Begin constructive negotiations with the aforementioned parties.
The proposal was released after prominent student leaders Min Ko Naing, Min Zay Ya, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe and Pyone Cho, who have been working for the realization of the national reconciliation process between the SPDC and various opposition groups of Burma, had been detained by the SPDC last week. They all had spent at least 15 years in jail and were freed last year only. They were allegedly arrested in connection with their support for the United Nations Security Council\'s decision to put Burma issues on the Councils formal agenda.
The SCC believes that the proposal of the 88 Generation Students is an essential step towards resolving the current crises the country faces. The SCC therefore fully supports the initiative taken by the students inside Burma.
The SCC further requests overseas Burmese, exiled political forces and organizations and individuals working for Burma to:
Extend solidarity with the students inside Burma by signing online petition at
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/FDB_Forum/index.html
Petitions can also be found under the name \'Solidarity Petition\' at www.womenofburma.org, www.democraticforumburma.org, www.absdf8888.org, www.aappb.org, and www.yoma3.org. All signatures collected will be sent to the SPDCs Chairperson, Interior Minister and Information Minister, and copied to the United Nations Security Council.
Call SPDC\'s Ministry of Home Affairs, (+951 222844, +951 221544), Ministry of Information(+951 245642, +951 245620) to ask the current situations inside Burma and urge them to properly respond without further delay to the proposal of the 88 General Students.
The SCC comprises the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), the Members of Parliament Union (MPU), the National League for Democracy Liberated Area (NLD-LA), the Womens League of Burma (WLB), the Students and Youth Congress of Burma (SYCB), Nationalities Youth Forum (NY-Forum) and the Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB).
End.
For further information: please contact:
Ma Thin Thin Aung (91) 9891252316
Ko Bo Kyi (66) 1-324 8935
Ko Kyaw Thura (66) 1-875 3307