For Immediate Release: 11 August
2008
AN UNFAIR SENTENCE,
A DARK FUTURE FOR THE COUNTRY - FIDH/BLC/ALTSEAN-BURMA PRESS
RELEASE
The International Federation
for Human Rights (FIDH), Burma Lawyers' Council (BLC) and The
Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma) express their
outrage regarding the condemnation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by
the Insein prison court in Rangoon to 18 months house arrest.
“This shocking verdict
illustrates once more the Burmese junta's total disregard for
its international human rights obligations and shows the real
face of the regime. With the main opposition leader and 2,100
political prisoners behind bars, the elections planned by the
regime for next year will be nothing but a mockery,” said
Aung Htoo, General Secretary of BLC.
In an advocacy note released
today, FIDH, BLC, and Altsean-Burma demonstrate that the widespread
and systematic violations of international human rights and
humanitarian law documented by numerous Burmese, regional and
international NGOs and UN mechanisms over the past years amount
to crimes against humanity and war crimes. FIDH, BLC and Altsean-Burma
therefore call for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry
by the UN Security Council.
“The condemnation of
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is not an isolated act of repression: it
is taking place in a context where crimes against humanity and
war crimes have been perpetrated for decades in Eastern Burma
together with other grave human rights violations in the rest
of the country. The international community must move immediately
to stop this inhumanity: the appointment of a Commission of
Inquiry by the Security Council is the first step for any process
of justice to be initiated,” concluded Souhayr Belhassen,
President of FIDH.
“The ongoing atrocities
in Burma increase the urgency for a Commission of Inquiry. Even
now, men, women and children continue to be subjected to extreme
and systematic forms of violence and murder. The world should
not allow this to go on”, emphasized Debbie Stothard,
Coordinator of Altsean-Burma.
The Report entitled “Burma:
An International Commission of Inquiry more urgent than ever,”
can be downloaded at http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/bu08.pdf
Press contacts
Gael Grilhot, FIDH Press Office:
+ 33 1 43 55 90 19
Debbie Stothard, Coordinator of Altsean-Burma: +668 1686 1652
Aung Htoo, General Secretary of BLC: + 46 70 866 4159