NLD youths send demands to APEC meeting

DVB ( 22 October, 2003 )

NLD (National League for Democracy) youths from various parts of Burma has sent a letter to the APEC leaders' meeting.

The letter, dated 18 October, was signed by over 300 NLD youths and contained four demands. Furthermore, the letter also demanded Thai authorities to stop arresting Burmese democracy activists in Thailand and repatriating them back.

DVB correspondent U Maung Maung Hein interviewed an NLD youth leader from Rangoon and filed this report.

U Maung Maung Hein : The demands include to immediately release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all the political prisoners; to investigate the Tabayin massacre and bring those responsible to justice; to reopen all the closed down NLD offices; and for all political parties to engage freely in political activities. One Rangoon NLD youth leader, who also signed the letter to the APEC leaders' meeting, told DVB about their aim and objective.

NLD youth leader : We all believe that the 30 May Tabayin incident has destroyed the 1990 Election Law and the NLD's dialogue process. The NLD youth has lost faith in the Burmese government. Furthermore, after hearing the ASEAN chairman endorsing the Burmese military government's move towards democracy, we became demoralized. We were relying on ASEAN but after hearing ASEAN's response we were frustrated. That is why we want APEC to know the real prevailing situation of Burma and to take necessary action. We also want APEC to pressure the ASEAN countries about Burma's condition.

U Maung Maung Hein : The same Rangoon NLD youth leader explained about the number of youths who signed the letter and how they managed to send the letter to APEC leaders' meeting.

NLD youth leader : As for the youths, we tried to contact as many as we could and they included youths from Rangoon Division, Arakan State, Mandalay Division, Kayah State, and Irrawaddy Division. Altogether, they numbered over 300 youths. We addressed the letter to the APEC leaders' meeting. We sent a copy to the veteranpoliticians group. We also sent a copy to a certain embassy.

U Maung Maung Hein : That was the explanation given by the Rangoon NLD youth leader about sending a letter on Burmese affairs to the APEC leaders' meeting.