A delegation of Burma civil society actors organized by the Task Force on ASEAN and Burma (TFAB) are attending the ASEAN People’s Forum/ASEAN Civil Society Conference in Cha-am, Thailand, on October 18-20, days before the ASEAN Summit. The APF/ACSC has been reformatted to create greater opportunities for interaction between civil society and ASEAN senior officials. Burma’s civil society groups are calling on ASEAN to address the SPDC’s violations of the regional body’s Charter. 

On 19 October, Ashin Sopaka of the International Burmese Monks Organization will be speaking on a panel addressing political and security issues in ASEAN. Other members of the delegation will be raising issues of sexual violence, environmental exploitation, child soldiers, political and ethnic oppression at the hands of the military junta, and rights for migrant workers. 

“The regime’s volatile approach to consolidating power in the lead up to the 2010 elections, including attacks against ethnic groups and democratic opposition, is a clear threat to regional peace and security. At the upcoming summit, ASEAN must address the junta’s serious breaches of the Charter. It can start by engaging in critical political dialogue with the regime and supporting the Burmese people’s efforts towards national reconciliation,” said Khin Ohmar, Coordinator of Burma Partnership and a member of TFAB. 

The Task Force on ASEAN and Burma is a network of Burma's civil society actors working to promote a people-centered ASEAN that is supportive to the cause of democracy, human rights, and peace in Burma.

Burma Partnership is a movement of organizations and individuals that aims to develop a strong broad-based partnership of peoples of the Asia-Pacific advocating and mobilizing a movement for promoting freedom, democracy and human rights in Burma. This movement facilitates strategic linkages; coordinates activities; develops and shares its capacity and resources; channels information resources; and promotes dialogue towards unified approaches. Click HERE to learn more about Burma Partnership.