STATEMENT
CHRAC Urges the Royal Government of Cambodia and ASEAN Member States to Take Immediate Action For the Release of Aung San Suu Kyi
Phnom Penh, 27 May 2009
At the occasion of the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Hanoi and the 17th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh, 27-28 May 2009, the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 21 NGOs working in the fields of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, urges all ASEAN Member States, and in particular the Royal Government of Cambodia, as a Member of this association, to take immediate action to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma (Myanmar).
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violent struggle to bring peace and democracy to her country. Despite her detention and other ongoing violations of fundamental human rights, Burma (Myanmar) became a Member of ASEAN in 1997.
CHRAC welcomes and supports the recent statements of the European Union calling to free the opposition leader and of ASEAN’s Chair, the Government of Thailand, issued on 19 May 2009, which expressed its “grave concern” over the developments in the case of Aung San Suu Kyi. ASEAN’s Chair urged the Government of Myanmar to accord her “humane treatment” and noted that the Government’s “honor and credibility” was at stake.
However, Aung San Suu Kyi’s ongoing detention and the current trial do not just concern the questionable credibility of the Government of Myanmar but also present a challenge to the credibility of all ASEAN Member States if no immediate action is taken to address the violations of the fundamental freedoms of Aung San Suu Kyi and those of the more than 2,000 other political prisoners detained in Burma’s (Myanmar) prisons.
We wish to remind all signatories of the ASEAN Charter that Article 2 provides that Members shall act in “respect for fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights […]”. CHRAC calls upon all ASEAN Members to respect the principles outlined in the Charter. We hope that other Member States, including the Royal Government of Cambodia, will follow the courageous example of the Philippine Government which had called on other ASEAN leaders in 2007 to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Therefore, CHRAC urges all Members of ASEAN, the European Union, the United Nations, and in particular the Royal Government of Cambodia to rally behind an unambiguous call for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi. We further urge ASEAN Member States to take firm and immediate action to address the ongoing violations of fundamental freedoms and human rights in Burma (Myanmar).
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Sok Sam Oeun Chairman of CHRAC/Director of CDP Tel: 012 901 199
Mr. Thun Saray President of ADHOC Tel: 016 880 509
Mr. Hang Chhaya Executive Director of KID Tel: 012 575 883
Mr. Im Sophea Deputy Director of CSD Tel: 016 888 552
Ms. Say Vathany Executive Director of CWCC Tel: 092 993 558
___________________________
Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)
Address: # 9E0, St. 330, Sangkat Boeung Keng Kong III,
Khan. Chamcar Morn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tel/Fax: (855) 23 218 759, Tel: (855) 23 301 415, 30 56 09
E-mail: chrac@forum.org.kh or chracsecretariat@yahoo.com
CHRAC Urges the Royal Government of Cambodia and ASEAN Member States to Take Immediate Action For the Release of Aung San Suu Kyi
Phnom Penh, 27 May 2009
At the occasion of the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) in Hanoi and the 17th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh, 27-28 May 2009, the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), a coalition of 21 NGOs working in the fields of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, urges all ASEAN Member States, and in particular the Royal Government of Cambodia, as a Member of this association, to take immediate action to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma (Myanmar).
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violent struggle to bring peace and democracy to her country. Despite her detention and other ongoing violations of fundamental human rights, Burma (Myanmar) became a Member of ASEAN in 1997.
CHRAC welcomes and supports the recent statements of the European Union calling to free the opposition leader and of ASEAN’s Chair, the Government of Thailand, issued on 19 May 2009, which expressed its “grave concern” over the developments in the case of Aung San Suu Kyi. ASEAN’s Chair urged the Government of Myanmar to accord her “humane treatment” and noted that the Government’s “honor and credibility” was at stake.
However, Aung San Suu Kyi’s ongoing detention and the current trial do not just concern the questionable credibility of the Government of Myanmar but also present a challenge to the credibility of all ASEAN Member States if no immediate action is taken to address the violations of the fundamental freedoms of Aung San Suu Kyi and those of the more than 2,000 other political prisoners detained in Burma’s (Myanmar) prisons.
We wish to remind all signatories of the ASEAN Charter that Article 2 provides that Members shall act in “respect for fundamental freedoms, the promotion and protection of human rights […]”. CHRAC calls upon all ASEAN Members to respect the principles outlined in the Charter. We hope that other Member States, including the Royal Government of Cambodia, will follow the courageous example of the Philippine Government which had called on other ASEAN leaders in 2007 to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Therefore, CHRAC urges all Members of ASEAN, the European Union, the United Nations, and in particular the Royal Government of Cambodia to rally behind an unambiguous call for the immediate release of Aung San Suu Kyi. We further urge ASEAN Member States to take firm and immediate action to address the ongoing violations of fundamental freedoms and human rights in Burma (Myanmar).
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Sok Sam Oeun Chairman of CHRAC/Director of CDP Tel: 012 901 199
Mr. Thun Saray President of ADHOC Tel: 016 880 509
Mr. Hang Chhaya Executive Director of KID Tel: 012 575 883
Mr. Im Sophea Deputy Director of CSD Tel: 016 888 552
Ms. Say Vathany Executive Director of CWCC Tel: 092 993 558
___________________________
Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC)
Address: # 9E0, St. 330, Sangkat Boeung Keng Kong III,
Khan. Chamcar Morn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tel/Fax: (855) 23 218 759, Tel: (855) 23 301 415, 30 56 09
E-mail: chrac@forum.org.kh or chracsecretariat@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment