Manila - Philippine democracy activists on Friday urged the
Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) not to allow Myanmar
to sign a landmark charter that declares adherence to democracy and
protection of human rights.
Leaders of the 10-member ASEAN are scheduled to sign the regional
bloc's first charter on Tuesday next week during their annual summit
in Singapore.
In an open letter to ASEAN leaders, the activists warned that
Myanmar's signing of the ASEAN charter will taint the document 'with
blood of the Burmese people brutally oppressed by the military junta
for decades now.'
'By allowing Myanmar to sign without any redress of the Burmese
peoples' sufferings, all the ASEAN nations will violate the tenets of
the ASEAN Charter,' the activists belonging to the Free Burma
Coalition said in its open letter.
They delivered the letter during a protest rally outside the
Singapore Embassy in Manila. Singapore is the current chairman of the
ASEAN.
The coalition noted that in its preamble, ASEAN declares that its
member states adhere to the principles of democracy, the rule of law
and good governance, respect for and protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
'We therefore appeal to your excellencies to put into action the
principles and commitments that the ASEAN members enshrine in the
ASEAN Charter,' it said.
'Further, we urged the ASEAN to postpone the signing of the ASEAN
Charter by the military junta until the political crisis in Burma is
resolved in accordance with international human rights standards,' it
added.
'Failing this, it must consider suspending Burma's membership from
ASEAN if the (military junta) continues to ignore calls to find a
lasting resolution to the crisis in Burma,' it added.
ASEAN members are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma).
While the ASEAN Charter does not have provisions for punitive
actions against members found to be violating principles and
agreements, diplomats noted that the document allows leaders to
discuss and agree among themselves on possible steps to take.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
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