Joint Statement Issued by

All Burma Monks’ Alliance, the 88 Generation Students and

All Burma Federation of Student Unions
Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma)
Date: 31 July 2008

Role of the United Nations in Burma/Myanmar

(1) We are encouraged by the statement issued by Members of Parliament-elect, Members of
Committee Representing the Peoples’ Parliament and Members of States and Divisions
Organizing Committees, dated 18 July 2008, in which they bravely declared that they would not
recognize and accept the 2010 election and they would not participate in that election. We
support the courageous act of Members of Parliament, elected by the people of Burma in the
1990 general elections, who deserve to hold the offices as mandated by the people.

(2) We also share the concerns of Members of Parliament, expressed in the open letter to UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Permanent Representatives of the members of the UN
Security Council, dated 21 July 2008, signed by 5 Members of Parliament on behalf of all
Members of Parliament-elect. In the letter, they correctly stressed that the United Nations is
stepping back from its benchmarks, which is the realization of an all party-inclusive, democratic,
participatory and transparent process of national reconciliation. Instead of working for these
benchmarks, they have been allowing the Burmese military regime to embark on its unilateral
and brutal path and forcing democracy forces to live in an untenable position. This is totally true
and we also want Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to review his mission and correct it in time
before he sends his special envoy to Burma.

(3) We understand that the Secretary-General does not have the power to make the Burmese
military regime listen to his voice. However, we don’t underestimate his moral authority, which
he used courageously to defend the rights of the people in Zimbabwe. He decisively called the
run-off presidential election in Zimbabwe illegitimate. We expect that he will similarly employ
his moral authority in Burma/Myanmar, stand up for the rights of the people of Burma/Myanmar
and call the outcome of the Referendum in May illegitimate. He should recognize that the people
of Burma/Myanmar do not have the right to express their true and genuine will under the brutal
military regime.

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(4) We also understand that UN Security Council has failed to take effective action on
Burma/Myanmar, as obstructed by two veto yielding members, China and Russia. However, if
the Secretary-General openly and strongly asks the Security Council take action on
Burma/Myanmar, we believe that China and Russia might change their position. We hope that
the Secretary-General will employ his diplomatic skills and moral authority to convince the
members of the Security Council to play more an important role in our country, and make the
military regime listen to their authoritative voice.

(5) However, we are witnessing the opposite. The Secretary-General sent his special envoy to
Burma/Myanmar to convince the military regime to engage in a meaningful and time-bound
dialogue. To our surprise, the special envoy came to Burma/Myanmar and as soon as he left the
plane, he became virtually a prisoner of the regime. He was placed at a regime guesthouse, his
schedule was totally controlled by the regime, and his meetings with the Burmese regime was
reduced to low-level officials, and these low-level officials humiliated him and flatly rejected all
of his recommendations. He also was allowed to meet with people only whom the regime agreed.
Instead of convincing the regime with forceful voice and strength of moral authority, it seems
that he was convinced by the regime that there was no other way, except to accept their unilateral
act as it is. When he went back to New York and reported to the international community, he
acted as he had achieved something and he would achieve more. Actually, he is misleading the
world with false hopes.

(6) Therefore, we agree and support the claims of the Burmese Members of Parliament, who are
the legitimate leaders of our country. This is the time for the Secretary-General to declare that
the seven-step roadmap of the Burmese military regime is no longer relevant and the constitution
is not legitimate. We also hope that Secretary-General will call for the UN Security Council to
take effective action on Burma before more people die. For us, there will be no more election
without implementing and recognizing the 1990 election results.

Ashin Aww Ba Tha, Ashin Pyannya Vamsa

All Burma Monks’ Alliance

Tun Myint Aung, Nilar Thein

88 Generation Students

Myo Tayza, Khin Myo Sett

All Burma Federation of Student Unions

Rangoon, Burma