Speech by Neelan Tiruchelvam on the Private Members Motion - The Violation of Human Rights in Myanmar

6 July 1995

Private Member Motions are not necessarily binding resolutions. They however provide this House with the opportunity to express its concern with regard to international events and developments that impact on the development of democratic values, the advancement of human rights and the strengthening of civil society. Many years ago, a motion was tabled in this House calling for the release of a political prisoner, who was incarcerated in Robbins Island, Mr. Nelson Mandela, who is now the President of South Africa. This House has always believed that injustice anywhere is a call to the just everywhere. The motion on Myanmar is one more example of the bipartisan spirit in which Members on both sides of the House have approached political developments within Myanmar.

This motion is a modest effort to give expression to the growing global consensus with regard to Myanmar and to express our concern with regard to the continuing detention of the Mandela of the East, Aung San Suu Kyi, who this month will complete the seventh year of her detention without trial. In view of the strong historical and religious links between our respective countries, which have extended from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Sri Lanka and this House have special reasons to express concern with regard to developments in Myanmar. The Polonnaruwa Kings, Parakramabahu I and Vijayabahu I, forged close political links with Burma, then known as Ramanna. These links were further consolidated by the close affinity between the Theravada Buddhist traditions in Burma and Ceylon. Vijayabahu I turned for assistance to Burma in reorganising the Sangha in Ceylon. These religious and cultural links have endured through the centuries and, most particularly, during Burma's struggle for independence under the leadership of Aung San. This motion symbolises continuing respect and affection of the people of Sri Lanka for the indomitable spirit and courage of the people of Burma, who have overcome many setbacks in their long and troubled history. It was in this spirit that an appeal was made by a group of human rights activists on Vesak day in 1992 to all concerned groups in Myanmar to respect the verdict of the people as expressed in the elections of July 1990, and to work towards an immediate transition to democracy.

The mere tabling of this motion triggered a chain of events in the sub-continent. In April, at a Conference jointly sponsored by UNESCO and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, reference was made, in the final resolution of that conference, to this initiative in this House. Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who inaugurated this meeting, courageously added her own personal appeal for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi. A few days later in India, the prestigious Nehru Memorial Award for International Understanding was awarded to Aung San Suu Kyi. In the struggle for human values, even the smallest initiative can create ripples that become waves that reach beyond the shores of our island.

The recent troubled chapter in Myanmar's history commenced with the assumption of power by the Burmese army on September 18, 1988. General Saw Waung, the chief of staff of Burma's armed forces, announced that the military had assumed power and abolished all civilian government institutions. The military established a 19 member military ruling body, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). On the SLORC's orders the armed forces forcibly crushed the pro-democracy demonstrations that had engulfed Burma in the previous months. In the days that followed, hundreds and perhaps thousands of people were shot and killed in the streets of Rangoon and elsewhere. Public demonstrations were banned and there were mass arrests of students, political activists, opposition party members and Buddhist monks. A second crackdown in July 1989 resulted in the detention of opposition leaders, including the leader of the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi. Despite the continuing political repression, the national election held on May 27th 1990 was a stunning victory for the political opposition to the SLOC's rule. The NLD took 392 out of the 485 contested seats in the National Assembly versus only ten for the military-backed National Unity Party. The results of this election are yet to be honoured and there has been no transfer of power to civilian rule.