Burma Ethnic Nationalities Network-Canada Calls for Long-lasting Political Change for Burma

September 23rd, 2011, Canada Burma Ethnic Nationalities Network-Canada (BENN-Canada) is a common advocacy group for ethnic nationalities living across Canada. Burma Ethnic Nationality Network-Canada is calling for a ceasefire in Burmas all ethnic regions and to talk about democratic reforms, ceasefire and peace building process with ethnic armed organizations and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led NLD party. The meeting between U Thein Sein, the President of Burma and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a positive sign, but it is still a long way to achieve the goal of peace, democracy and national reconciliation. There is no signs for the release of all political prisoners, and human-rights violations is still widespread across Burma especially in ethnic regions, as well as Burmese army fighting ethnic armed group still continue using artillery fire targeting innocent civilians. Over 6 decades long civil war and the demand for self-determination and political rights was deeply rooted in Panglong Agreement. Country wide ceasefire agreement, discussion to change constitution, building federal states, economic development, human rights and all political issues need to be addressed to the policy makers of newly elected government. The local state government has no such power or authorities to discuss, or make necessary changes. The solution to the problems in Burma lies in tripartite dialogue between the army-backed government, the mainstream democracy movement, and ethnic groups. The previous military regime had no serious effort had ever been made to secure such dialogue. Efforts to secure such dialogue should be a top priority for new government of Burma to prove its worthiness and to be eligible to gain international support in its bid to host Association of South East Asian Nations meetings in 2014 and to ease economic sanctions over its human-rights record. Ending all forms of human right violations across the country and country wide ceasefire talk should be the top priorities. Those conditions need to take consideration for the international community, including the European Union, US, Canada and Australia in its engagement with the new Burmese government. The European Union, US and Canadian governments should take the role of mediators between the Burmese new regime and ethnic nationalities with Daw Aung San Su Kyi led NLD party for the dialoque. We, the BENN-Canada urges the international community, including the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU), and Canada to press Burmas nearest neighbors, Thailand, China and India, to help long lasting change for Burma and to protect refugees who have fled the armed conflicts to seek refuge in the border regions. We firmly believe that economic developments and ending poverty will not happen without peace and stability in the country of Burma. Therefore, We the BENN-Canada call for economic sanctions and embargoes will remain in place until the following demands are met: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. To release estimated over 2000 political prisoners To end all military offensive against ethnic armed oppositions and human rights violation across country especially in ethnic regions immediately To respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and allows media and religious freedom To stop treating and blaming ethnic armed groups who have been fighting for democracy, human rights, and longlasting peace for Burma as destructive armed groups To invite all ethnic armed groups for peace talk to end fighting and to start long lasting cease-fire agreement by the new Burmese government, not by the local military commanders or state government

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