Open letter
to Sr General Than Shwe by Veteran politicians
It is reported that Veteran Politicians led by Thakhin Thein
Pe who fought for Burma’s independence held an emergency
meeting on Saturday and sent an open letter to the SPDC’s
chairman, General Than Shwe in concerning with the Black Friday
incident which occurred at Dipeyin [Tabayin] on the 30th of
May.
There are nine points in the letter and it asks the authorities
to allow an independent organisation to investigate the incident
and let the people of Burma know what really happened there.
Thakhin Thein Pe himself read the letter as follows:
To,
Chairman
State Peace and Development Council
Subject: Suggestions and requests of fellow veteran politicians
concerning the current situations in Burma.
We are very saddened and upset to hear the news of the incident
which happened near Dipeyin [Dibayin], Sagaing Division on
the 30th of May 2003. The incidents could undermine the nation’s
peace, its independence, emergence of democracy and the unity
of Burmese people including ethnic nationals and therefore,
we are extremely worried about the incident.
After the occurrence of the incident, according to the statement
of the government officials, 4 people were killed and 50 were
wounded. The statement also claimed that there were 5000 anti-NLD
demonstrators. But foreign media centres are saying that the
death toll is higher than the figure given by the government.
People are feeling very anxious because of the daily news
including rumours coming out every day.
According to the statement of the government, we learnt that
the General Secretary of the NLD, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
its deputy-Chairman, U Tin Oo are being detained to give them
‘protective custody’, but we are unable to hear
news of the remaining people and we are sharing the worries
and anxieties of their family members. According to Burmese
Buddhist tradition, if someone dies in their family, certain
religious duties have to be performed. If someone is wounded,
the family members want to treat the patient themselves.
As the government is being held responsible, it should issue
the list of the exact names of the people who were killed,
wounded and detained during the incident. The remains [corpses]
of the people who were killed are to returned or notified
to respective families. The wounded people should be handed
over to their family members so that they could treat and
look after by their loved ones. To inform family members if
they are still being detained and allow them to meet one another.
We, the veteran politicians seriously want to urge the government
thus.
Whoever started or plotted the Dipeyin incident, it is really
inhumane and disgusting act and whoever wishes the welfare
of the nation denounces the acts of violence. Instead of piling
blames on one another, those who plotted and started the acts
should be taken in front of the rule law and should be effectively
punished with the rule of law according to the crimes committed.
Only then, similar crimes could be prevented from occurring
again. In order to do that we urge you to immediately form
an enquiry commission made up of unbiased and honest people
including legal experts and investigate the incident and take
action.
It is distressful to learn that because of the incident,
our country has lost its face in the international community
and it is being blamed by every side. We are very worried
to hear not from confirmed news but from rumours that Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burmese democracy movement,
the daughter of our national hero, the architect of our independence,
the illustrious General Aung San could be injured in the attack
and that she might be assassinated by the hands of other people
like father. We were able to feel relieved when we heard that
the UN special envoy to Burma, Mr. Razali Ismail was able
to meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the 10 of June 2003. But we
still have anxieties for other people who were arrested during
that incident and those still missing including Thura U Tin
Oo who fought for the independence of Burma and himself was
once a defence minister and the command-in-chief of the Tamadaw.
After the incident, the top leaders of the NLD were held under
house arrest. Some leaders were arrested and detained. All
the NLD offices throughout the country are being shut down.
We are unable to understand why these actions were taken.
The NLD is a legal political party and it is a party which
was elected by the will of the people of Burma with more than
80% of votes cast in the 1990 election and it is the main
party to discuss the matters of re-building the nation with
the SPDC.
Therefore, urge you to release all the NLD leaders and members
and all other political prisoners and to reopen all the NLD
offices throughout the country.
Only then, could we be able to go back onto the only way
out for the country which is the true road to finding solutions
through dialogue and national reconciliation which we, the
veteran politicians have been urging over and over again and
by reverting from the odious and hopeless incident at Dipeyin
[Tabayin].
We urge you thus as members of the SPDC are Buddhists, we
hope that they are not the people to neglect the good of Burma
and its people. Like our original pleas, we urge you to build
national solidarity from first working on national reconciliation
and continue on the road of finding solutions with political
dialogues.
On behalf of veteran politicians,
Thakhin Thein Pe
Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430
gmt 16 & 17 June 03 |
