DICTATOR WATCH
(www.dictatorwatch.org)
13 November 2002
Contact: Roland Watson, roland@dictatorwatch.org
PHOTODOCUMENTATION OF WAR CRIMES IN BURMA
Dictator Watch announces the publication of two photo series documenting assault
and murder by the State Peace and Development Council and the SPDC’s direct
involvement in what is arguably the world’s largest narcotics trade.
The photos are available on the DW site at www.dictatorwatch.org/phmain.html
Dictator Watch believes it is the obligation of the free states of the world to
end the commission of war crimes in dictatorial nations. For Burma, we ask the
question: when will the killing end?
Our answer:
When Kofi Annan fires the United Nations Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, because
of his complicity with the SPDC, and installs instead an envoy who will draw a
line in the sand and announce to the dictators: leave now, or else!
When the United States and the European Union impose real sanctions against the
SPDC, including a retroactive ban on all business investments and an import ban;
and, when they actively support the resistance movement in Burma.
When the democracies of the world make it clear to China that they will not and
do not accept its “dictatorship in perpetuity,” and demand that it end
its support of the SPDC.
When the democracies of the world make it clear to the authoritarian leaders and
states of ASEAN, including Thaksin and Thailand, Mahathir and Malaysia, and Lee
and Singapore, that they understand that the grouping’s go slow policy towards
democracy in Burma, and in their own nations, is a shield to hide their own obsession
with power, and corruption, and further demand that they end their “constructive
engagement” with the SPDC.
When the people of the world recognize that “dialogue,” and not only
in Burma, is a sham, and renounce it; that “talk” does not solve problems,
that “talk” does not save lives.
When the people of Burma, starting with the National League for Democracy and
the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament, accept that they must
do more, however difficult and dangerous this might be, to win the war for their
freedom.
When will the killing in Burma end? The killing will end when the SPDC is DEFEATED;
when the generals, starting with Than Shwe, Khin Nyunt and Maung Aye, are removed
from power.
Note: for a global perspective on the struggle in Burma please see our foreign
policy analysis, Interference and Intervention; and our article, Burma
and Chaos – Updated, at www.dictatorwatch.org/artalpha.html
Also, these photo series were assembled as input to the “Burma: Reconciliation
in Myanmar and the Crisis of Change” conference at Johns Hopkins University
Southeast Asia Studies Program in Washington, D.C., November 21-23. Would anyone
who is in a position to forward this press release to the conference attendees,
starting with the Johns Hopkins faculty organizers, please do so.