The Committee Supporting Internal Movement in Burma

P.O.Box 865, Rockville, MD-20851,USA. Tel: 240-432-5097. Fax: 301-330-3344. E-mail: csim@Comcast.net

[CSIM is a working committee of Burmese pro-democracy groups from around
the world, founded on October 11-12th, 2003 at the world's largest gathering
of Burmese democracy activists-in-exile at Fort Wayne, Indiana.]

Immediate Release:

The prevailing situation in Burma has turned for the worst lately despite the ruling junta the so-called State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC) repeated claims that it is striving its best to restore democracy in the country and affect national reconciliation.

On February 20, 2004, six students were given long term imprisonments, seven to seventeen years, for showing their displeasure on the SPDC by distributing leaflets criticizing the junta's so-called 'road map' for Burma's democracy.

"This unwarranted action on the part of the junta does not reflect its repeated claims to restore democracy in the country and in fact, it is in complete contrast to the SPDC's frequently publicized endeavors to affect national reconciliation by signing ceasefire agreements with the ethnic armed groups" said Ko Yin Aye of the Committee Supporting Internal Movement in Burma based in Washington DC.

Ko Aung Moe Win of the CSIM also said, "I take off my hat and salute those brave students who have shown their guts citing that supporters of the SPDC road map will certainly end up in the dark corners of history".

In all truth and probability the SPDC road map is nothing but an idiosyncrasy and a ploy only to hoodwink the people on the part of the ruling junta as it does not take into account of the people's desire for freedom and democracy, much less justice and the rule of law by ignoring the results of the May 1990 elections and specifically, turning a blind eye and refusing to make independent inquiries on the De-pe'-yin Massacre perpetrated by the thugs and members of the SPDC sponsored USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association) on May 30, 2003.

In this view we strongly condemn the SPDC regime for imposing the long-term imprisonments on the six students and again reiterate our demand to affect the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Min Ko Naing and all political prisoners, in case, the SPDC genuinely desires to build up trust among all the ethnic minorities in Burma and affect a long awaited national reconciliation that will lead to lasting peace and prosperity in the country.