National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, Press Release, July 26, 2005

   ( S.H.A.N. & Burma’s News Published by Burma’s Chinese 貌强 )

   I.

   Brief Introduction of NCGUB

   In late 1990, a group of NLD Members of Parliament (MPs), led by Dr. Sein Win—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s cousin—was sent into exile in order to mobilize international support for Burma. The MPs, with support from the Democratic Alliance of Burma, the National Democratic Front, among others, formed the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).

   The NCGUB has since been working with all the democracy and the disenfranchised ethnic forces through the National Council of the Union of Burma as well as with the other exile and student groups. The NCGUB has led the call for a tripartite dialogue between the ethnic nationalities, the NLD, and the military to resolve national problems. Over the past 8 years, the NCGUB has mobilized the international community to withdraw all financial and moral support to the dictatorship

   II.

   NCGUB’ Press Release, July 26, 2005

   On July 26,2005, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma released a press with the title:

   ”ASEAN Role Vital in Burma's Democratic Future”

   The content is as follows:

    The Burmese military has asked for the deferment of ASEAN chairmanship in 2006 to "focus on its program of democratic reform".

   In light of this development announced at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Vientiane, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) wishes to express its thanks to ASEAN governments, particularly its founding members, for their clear-sighted approach in resolving the problem and to the "ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Caucus for Myanmar" for helping raise the awareness about Burma among officials in the ASEAN region.

   The NCGUB also wishes to remind ASEAN members that the fundamental issues that had been the root of the problem remain unresolved. Presently, Burma continues to be the least cooperative nation among the co-signatories of ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, and the Burmese generals are most unresponsive to ASEAN's needs, acting irresponsibly time and again thwarting ASEAN interests, reneging on their promises to ASEAN leaders, and making ASEAN less of an effective partner in international relations. These are facts that should not be forgotten.

   The Burmese generals' so-called "program of democratic reform" through its "road map" process being implemented initially through the National Convention is nothing more than an attempt to legitimize prolonged military rule in the country. ASEAN seems to have temporarily overcome the tension with its dialogue partners on With regard to that convention, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said, "unless and until the views of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other political parties are sought and considered, the National Convention and the road map process will be incomplete, lacking in credibility and, therefore, unable to gain the full support of the international community, including the countries of the region." Professor Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, UN Special Rapporteur to Burma, also commented that the Convention is a "meaningless and undemocratic exercise".

    ASEAN should and must, therefore, continue to insist that the Burmese generals keep their promise and immediately and unconditionally release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Tin Oo, Khun Htun Oo, and other political prisoners so that genuine political reforms for reconciliation and democracy can be initiated.

    this very issue of the 2006 chairmanship. However, as long as political and human rights problems remain unsolved, Burma will still cast a shadow over ASEAN's relations with the United States and European Union. There should be no doubt that Burmese military will continue to ignore international calls for substantive political reform and national reconciliation in Burma. Indeed, it is an ominous sign that Burmese generals will take more confrontational stand against the democracy movement led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

   ASEAN's role in the process to democratize Burma is still unfinished. For the sake of the region, ASEAN must act without fail so that ASEAN's prestige internationally as well as the hope and pride that ASEAN peoples have in their regional association will remain unblemished.