To the Leaders of ASEAN,

We wish to congratulate you on the 36th Anniversary of your establishment. ASEAN has grown considerably and seen many important events in the history of both its member countries and as an organization.

Ironically, a tragic event happened on the 21st anniversary of your establishment. On 8 August 1988, a nationwide strike for democracy in Burma was met with brutal force and massacre by the ruling military junta. The illegitimate military junta, which has been in control since
that time, was however given a great boost by membership into your Association in 1997.

The nation that was admitted into ASEAN on 23 July 1997 was ruled by a military regime that had for seven years ignored the results of general elections - that they themselves called - which clearly reflected the wishes of the people of Burma for a democratic and civilian government. ASEAN admitted this regime, but did not even pay lip service to the elected government of 1990 or to the political party which should have had the overwhelming majority in Parliament. We note that recent events and declarations indicate that ASEAN member states
themselves are now beginning to reconsider this position.

Some of you hoped that Burma's membership into ASEAN would help to educate the military regime in the ways of the international community and contribute to both economic as well as political reform. This rational was often heard to justify Burma's admission to ASEAN.
However on 30 May 2003, with the violent attack on the National League of Democracy procession and the incarceration of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the junta has made sure that no doubt remains regarding its intention to prolong its iron-fist rule.

Happily we also note that since May 30th, ASEAN has shown that it is maturing as an organization in its ability to address regional concerns, and it is no longer staying silent on the situation in Burma. We welcome the more forthcoming exchanges among ASEAN member
countries at the 36th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh, making it clear that political oppression in Burma is not a simple matter of internal affairs.

ASEAN should also be very concerned about Burma's upcoming turn at the ASEAN presidency in 2006. Just as democracy has been given a tremendous setback in Burma over the past 2 months, progress made by ASEAN and its relationship with the international community could suffer similar consequences with Burma's military regime at its helm.

We urge ASEAN to do now what should have been done on the occasion of Burma's admission to the Association. In addition to the calls for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and political reform, we invite ASEAN to participate in a broader dialogue with Burma - one which involves not only the counterparts in the military regime, but counterparts in
the democratic movement and ethnic nationalities as well. In the Joint Communique on 16-17 June, ASEAN itself called for Burma to "resume its efforts of national reconciliation and dialogue among all parties concerned leading to a peaceful transition to democracy."

ASEAN too can contribute to a peaceful transition to democracy by engaging the rightful leaders with invitations, formal or informal, to participate in various ASEAN forums. ASEAN can likewise offer itself as facilitator or mediator in a tri-partite dialogue among the
democratic opposition, the ethnic nationalities and the junta.

In the meantime, we also call upon ASEAN leaders to pursue a suspension of the supply of military equipment and training to the regime, as Burma's military expansion seems to have gone hand in hand with the increase of malnutrition rates, displaced communities and drug
production. We hope this initiative will be broadened to included members of the Asean Regional Forum and other ASEAN partners, since the impacts of growing militarization of Burma continue to threaten regional security.

Expulsion of Burma from ASEAN has been raised as an option for the military regime's refusal to heed ASEAN's call. It is an option that ASEAN can wield now if the call for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release and the path to dialogue remain unheeded. Even then, ASEAN should likewise take steps to provide conditions for the eventual recognition of the legitimate representatives of the Burmese people and invite them now to observe or sit among their midst. That would be a fitting birthday gift for ASEAN to give to itself.

Sincerely Yours,

Minn Kyaw
Coordinator of Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia
And other associates of Altsean-Burma