WITH just one more vote needed to include Burma in the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, Burma watchers in the Philippines today held a rally in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) urging the government to add that crucial vote before bowing out of the UN’s most powerful organ at the end of the year.
WITH just one more vote needed to include Burma in the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, Burma watchers in the Philippines today held a rally in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) urging the government to add that crucial vote before bowing out of the UN’s most powerful organ at the end of the year.
Members of the Free-Burma Coalition-Philippines and Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC) also sent a delegation for a dialogue with the DFA to convince the Philippine government to favor the inclusion of Burma in the UNSC by adding its vote.
Affiliates of APSOC are also conducting similar action in Philippine embassies in other ASEAN countries.
“We are here to convince the Philippine government to vote for the inclusion of Burma in the UNSC. We can cast the key vote and redeem our battered democratic standing among peoples and nations of the world. The Burmese people are eagerly awaiting our stance. We believe that this is not the time for our government to cower behind ASEAN’s obsolete constructive engagement policy with Burma. Since it became a member of the grouping in 1997, no significant reforms have been instituted in that country. There is no respect for human rights in and the military-government is just playing blind and deaf to the clamor of the international community for political reforms,” Gus Miclat, FBC-Philippines convenor and regional coordinator of APSOC said.
“The Philippines as an ASEAN member may again argue that isolating Burma will not solve the problem. But can we solve tyranny using the formula of passivity? We hope that the Philippines will understand that continuously offering toys and candies will not discipline a spoiled-brat,” he stressed.
A resolution in support of the petition to include Burma in the UNSC agenda has already been filed in Congress. Akbayan lawmakers – Marion Aguja Etta Rosales and Riza Hontiveros-Baraquel – filed House Resolution 996 urging the Philippine government and the ASEAN to support the demand of the international community for the inclusion of Myanmar in the UN work plan. House Foreign Affairs committee Chairman Rep. Antonio Cuenco is likewise pushing for a similar resolution.
It will be remembered that last month, former President of Czech Republic Vaclav Havel and South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu called on the UNSC to immediately intervene in Burma. Quoting from a 70-page report entitled “A Threat to Peace: A call to UN Security Council to act on Burma” which they had commissioned, the two popular leaders urged the council for an urgent and multilateral diplomatic initiative to bring changes in Burma, which has been under military rule for 43 years now.
In his speech delivered in Congress two weeks ago, Rep. Aguja cited the Havel-Tutu report and called for the immediate release of Burma’s democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. He said that the situation in Burma continues to worsen and that Burma is a continuously growing threat to international peace and security. He likewise challenged the Philippines to promote the call for the UNSC’s action on Burma.
The ASEAN Inter Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) also endorsed the Have-Tutu report in its 23 September 2005 meeting and demanded the intervention of the UNSC.
“We simply cannot repeat the same approach for Burma again and again. Now is the time for the Philippines and ASEAN to get tough on the generals in Rangoon. In particular, we challenge the Philippine government to make a clearer stand once and for all. Its continued silence on this issue would mean support for an illegal military-regime that continuously punishes it own citizens. And this will be an utter embarrassment for us Filipinos who are the avowed champions of democracy and human rights in this region” Miclat added.
“History is now offering an opportunity for reforms in Burma, we just hope that all concerned states specially the Philippines will grab this opportunity to become a key part of reforms and change in Burma,” Miclat ended.
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