Position Paper

Adopted by the Third Congress of the Members of Parliament Union 24 March 2004 Washington , DC

1990 General Elections

The MPU reaffirms that:

1. The will of the Burmese people as expressed in the May 1990 general elections, can never be ignored.
2. The fact that the military has never honored the results of the elections does not in any way diminish the validity of the election results.

Objectives of the MPU

The MPU reaffirms that their objective is:

• To terminate military rule,
• To establish democracy, and
• To establish a federal Union of Burma.

Mandate of the NLD

Based on the 1990 election results, the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has the right to enter into a dialogue with the SPDC, ethnic nationalities, and others, and has the mandate to play the key role in formulating a roadmap to democracy and drafting the constitution of the Union of Burma. [Top]

Mandate and Role of the MPU

The MPU reaffirms that –

1. MPU’s mandate is derived from the election victory of the NLD and the other political parties in the 1990 general elections.
2. MPU’s role is to support and facilitate the NLD and the other election-winning parties to bring democracy and national reconciliation to the country.

Dialogue Partners

Based on United Nations General Assembly resolutions, the MPU reaffirms that the dialogue partners in any future negotiations are:

The NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and election winning parties, the ethnic nationalities and the military led by the SPDC.

National Reconciliation

The MPU believes that Burma's socioeconomic and political problems have to be resolved peacefully through an equitable and transparent process of national reconciliation

We reaffirm our belief that the basic principles needed for a credible national reconciliation process to succeed must consider:

Inclusivity and Compromise

The process toward democratic transition should be inclusive and participated in by all stakeholders concerned, with players showing respect for the opinion of others and willingness to compromise while avoiding imposition of one's terms on others. Consultation among stakeholders to seek a common position is of utmost importance. [Top]

Time Frame

A timeframe within which specific steps agreed upon in the process must also be set to ensure that advancement toward democracy proceeds as envisaged.

Mediation

Given the complexity of the political crisis in Burma, effective mediation and assistance of the good offices of UN Secretary-General are vital for the success of the national reconciliation process in Burma.

Ambience

To achieve a credible democratic transition, basic political freedoms, such as freedom of association, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly must exist to ensure that the people can freely participate in the political process. All unjust laws and orders which criminalize legal political activities must be revoked.

E. Ceasefire

Declare a nationwide ceasefire to create an atmosphere conducive to national reconciliation

The "Seven-Point Roadmap" announced by the SPDC fails to take these principles into account and will, therefore, not lead to long-lasting peace and national reconciliation in Burma. The process as it stands will only help to solidify dictatorial rule in Burma and legitimize military domination over the country's political future.

In order to overcome the current political crisis in Burma, the following steps must urgently be taken by the SPDC:

Release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other NLD leaders as well as detained leaders of ethnic political parties

Restore the right of political parties to freely engage in peaceful activities, including the reopening of party offices

Begin political dialogue with NLD and leaders of ethnic nationalities to find a common path to democratic transition. [Top]

The Role of United Nations and Regional Countries

VII. The MPU believes that regional cooperation with the United Nations is vital for the process of national reconciliation to succeed in Burma.

In this regard, we view the “Forum on International Support for National Reconciliation” in Burma, held in Bangkok as a significant preliminary step. However, we believe that an international conference on Burma’s future should be better represented and more inclusive to achieve concrete results. The Forum should:

Be held under the joint sponsorship of the Royal Thai Government and the good offices of the UN Secretary-General

Invite the remaining members of the UN Informal Consultative Group for Burma in addition to the current participating nations

Allow all stakeholders in Burma to express their views by inviting them to the Forum. [Top]

Sanctions

VIII. The MPU reaffirms that under existing circumstances economic sanctions are the most effective tool to persuade the SPDC to recognize the crisis in the country and need for peaceful resolution. They are part of the overall international strategy to facilitate a tripartite dialogue in Burma.

Sanctions make international persuasion more effective as they:

Serve as a clear signal of disapproval for the SPDC’s continuing failure to improve the human rights situation in Burma. They are a strong deterrent against large-scale human rights violations and protect vulnerable groups in Burma

Supplement many non-binding international resolutions and opinions such as ILO and UNGA resolutions, by generating a material impact on the regime

Act as moral boosters for those who are struggling for democracy inside Burma and demonstrate to democracy leaders inside the country that the democracy movement is not alone in its fight for freedom and human rights

Most importantly, deprive resources to the regime which is currently unnecessarily allocating more budget to defense and the internal security apparatus. [Top]

Humanitarian Assistance

IX. All humanitarian assistance delivered to the people of Burma should be transparent and accountable and channeled through credible international NGOs subjected to independent monitoring. International donors should encourage NGOs working in Burma to have consultations with the NLD and the NCGUB.

Humanitarian assistance for refugees and IDPs should commiserate with the increasing number of refugees fleeing into neighboring countries and internally displaced persons resulting from military offensives and forced relocation by the Burmese Army.

Empowerment of the People

X. The MPU will continue to encourage and support participation of the Burmese people in the political process and endeavor for the emergence of a civil society in Burma. In that regard, the MPU will undertake Capacity Building Programs like education on human rights, democratic governance, sustainable development, Federalism, conflict resolution, and other relevant subjects. We pledge to continue supporting non-violent activities of the democracy movement including human rights monitoring, policy advocacy, development of an alternative media, empowerment of ethnic nationalities and women, and welfare and rehabilitation of political prisoners.

The Third Congress of the Members of Parliament Union entrusts the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma with the responsibility of implementing the abovementioned policy initiatives and objectives. [Top]