ASEAN called on to drop existing policy on Myanmar<\/p>\n
MANILA (Reuter): A human rights group urged southeast Asian
\nnations yesterday to abandon their policy of non-interference in
\nMyanmar and to ban aid and investment to force its military
\nrulers to yield power.<\/p>\n
In a report after a 16-day mission to Myanmar, the group also
\ncalled on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to
\nback an arms embargo against Yangon and freeze its application
\nfor membership in the seven-member organization.<\/p>\n
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development released its
\nreport in Manila at the launching of a campaign to bring the
\nruling Myanmarese State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
\nto heel, members said.<\/p>\n
\"At the end of the year, we hope ASEAN will reconsider its
\npolicy of 'constructive engagement' and SLORC will be
\nweakened ...to pave the way for (a shift) from military to
\ndemocratic rule,\" Filipino mission member Evelyn Serrano told a
\nnews conference.<\/p>\n
The Thai-based forum visited Myanmar from May 1 to 17 and its
\nreport was based on interviews with opposition leader Aung San
\nSuu Kyi, other dissidents and unnamed officials, the report said.<\/p>\n
Failure of SLORC to enter into a meaningful dialog with Suu
\nKyi and leaders of Myanmar's ethnic groups \"is an indication of
\nthe failure of the ASEAN's 'constructive engagement' policy\", the
\nmission said in its report.<\/p>\n
ASEAN members have refused to take part in sanctions against
\nMyanmar, preferring to bring about change through a peaceful
\nprocess of what they call \"constructive engagement\".<\/p>\n
ASEAN is composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the
\nPhilippines, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The report urged them to stop investing in Myanmar until there
\nwas improvement in the human rights situation and freeze action
\non its application for ASEAN membership. It also called for a
\nmoratorium on any new bilateral aid or multilateral funding.<\/p>\n
It denounced \"summary killings, arbitrary arrest and
\ndetention, torture, disappearances, massacres, rape, forced
\nlabor, forced porterage and massive forced relocation...alleged
\nto be committed in many parts of the country\".<\/p>\n
\"Serious cases of torture were reported to the mission,\" it
\nsaid. \"These allegedly include beatings...shackling, suffocation,
\nstabbing, rubbing salt and chemicals to open wounds, food and
\nsleep deprivation, applying electric shocks to genitals,
\ncigarette burns, solitary confinement, threats to life and other
\npsychological forms of torture.\"<\/p>\n
The report said the mission failed to meet any torture victims
\nto verify the allegations.<\/p>\n
Besides Serrano, the mission included Filipino college
\nprofessor Cynthia Nolasco, Thai professor Gothom Arya and the
\nforum's secretary-general, Somchai Homlaor, a Thai lawyer.<\/p>\n
It said the mission received reports of tens of thousands of
\npeople being forced to work on infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n
\"Often deprived of food and medical care, many die due to
\nillnesses...many try to escape the beatings and other forms of
\ncruel treatment and are killed in the process,\" the report said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-called-on-to-drop-existing-policy-on-myanmar-1447893297",
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