Business Mirror, by Estrella Torres / Reporter, FRIDAY, 19 MARCH 2010 00:12
A HIGH official of Burma’s military junta has refused to make commitments that it will release Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to allow her to participate in the coming elections despite a latest appeal made by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.
Romulo and Burma’s Foreign Minister U Nyan Win held a meeting late Wednesday at the sidelines of the Special Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting (SNAMMM) where the Philippines renewed its call for the release of prodemocracy leader Suu Kyi in time for this year’s elections.
“He [U Nyan Win] didn’t say much,” said Romulo in an ambush interview after the bilateral meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center.
Asked whether he was disappointed with Burma’s refusal to heed his call or make initial commitments, Romulo said: “I had expected it. . . . Let’s face it, if Aung San Suu Kyi is not allowed to participate in the elections, what’s the point?”
He said all actions of Burma’s military junta in implementing the new election law must be in accordance with its roadmap to democracy, which includes the release of Suu Kyi and the participation of the National League for Democracy in the coming elections.
Romulo said he would again raise the matter at the foreign ministers’ meeting in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Hanoi on April 8 and 9.
He said other Asean members, particularly Indonesia, are also seeking the implementation of Burma’s road map to democracy.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa will meet with Burma’s military junta end of March to clarify the implication of the new election law that reportedly restricts the participation of Suu Kyi, who is still under house arrest, in the coming elections.
His visit to Burma (renamed by the military junta as Myanmar) is part of Natalegawa’s official tour of duty as newly designated foreign minister.
“But we can’t help but [discuss] about the situation, particularly the soon-to-be-held elections. We heard from sources about the implications of the new election law,” said Natalegawa in an interview with reporters at the sidelines of the SNAMMM on Wednesday.
He said Indonesia maintains its position to release Suu Kyi and the rest of the political prisoners and allow them to participate in the elections.
“That kind of official position remains, but what’s important is how Myanmar can do that,” said Natalegawa.
Asked whether he shares the view of Romulo, who called the new election law in Burma “a farce” because it restricts the participation of Suu Kyi, the Indonesian official said: “We want to hear from the [government] of Myanmar about the implications of this law vis-à-vis this commitment to have an all-inclusive elections. We don’t want to be too presumptive, there is nothing secret there and nothing sinister.”
The Philippines, Romulo said, will keep on pushing for the release and participation in the elections of Suu Kyi, particularly now that the Asean is functioning as a legal intergovernmental entity.
“We have this Asean charter and now we will inaugurate the Asean intergovernmental body on human rights and [Burma’s] road map to democracy,” said Romulo.
Romulo also expressed hopes that Vietnam, chair of the Asean meetings this year, will respond to Burma’s refusal to commit to release the democracy icon.
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