Philippines urged to lead Asean against Myanmar
'My Leader': Khun Myint Tun, joint secretary of the Members of Parliament Union of Burma (Myanmar) and member of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), pointing at Aung San Suu Kyi's portrait during a press conference in Quezon City, Philippines yesterday.
Friday, August 8, 2008
A PROMINENT exiled Myanmar opposition lawmaker yesterday called on the Philippines to take a more prominent role in pushing for genuine democratic changes in the isolated state.
Khun Myint Tun, who is a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), said atrocities continued in his homeland and urged the UN to withdraw its recognition of the ruling military junta.
He said it was time for the Asean "and the United Nations to be more serious in crafting tangible ways to bring democracy back" to Myanmar, including pressuring the generals to open up dialogue with the opposition.
"Asean should talk about dialogue. Asean should discuss the Burma issue during dialogues with China," Khun Myint Tun said, using the country's former name.
Khun Myint Tun said he was in Manila to "urge the Philippine government as a member state of Asean to reject the Burmese junta's so-called road map to democracy and to take a lead in forwarding a genuine tripartite dialogue in Burma".
The Philippines has warned it will not ratify Asean's charter if the junta continues to detain democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Asean groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The group has often been criticised for its "constructive engagement" policy towards Myanmar even as foreign ministers issued a strong statement of "deep disappointment' over detention of Suu Kyi.AFP
Khun Myint Tun, who is a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), said atrocities continued in his homeland and urged the UN to withdraw its recognition of the ruling military junta.
He said it was time for the Asean "and the United Nations to be more serious in crafting tangible ways to bring democracy back" to Myanmar, including pressuring the generals to open up dialogue with the opposition.
"Asean should talk about dialogue. Asean should discuss the Burma issue during dialogues with China," Khun Myint Tun said, using the country's former name.
Khun Myint Tun said he was in Manila to "urge the Philippine government as a member state of Asean to reject the Burmese junta's so-called road map to democracy and to take a lead in forwarding a genuine tripartite dialogue in Burma".
The Philippines has warned it will not ratify Asean's charter if the junta continues to detain democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Asean groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The group has often been criticised for its "constructive engagement" policy towards Myanmar even as foreign ministers issued a strong statement of "deep disappointment' over detention of Suu Kyi.AFP
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