BURMA RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Burma (known to the military rulers as Myanmar) has been ruled by a brutal military dictatorship since 1962; and

WHEREAS, in May 1990, in a free and fair parliamentary election the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, received more than 80 percent of the national vote; and

WHEREAS, the military government refused to honor the results of the 1990 election and instead has continued to persecute the NLD leadership and other democracy activists and conducted a war against its own people; and

WHEREAS, the actions of the dictatorship including the extensive use of torture, extra-judicial killings, forced labor, forced repatriation and rape as methods of political repression have been condemned repeatedly by the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and every major human and labor rights organization; and

WHEREAS, pro-democracy activists and Buddhist monks led the initial demonstrations in Burma's main city, Rangoon, in August 2007.  These organic demonstrations were the largest in the military-ruled nation since 1988. The authorities moved swiftly to quell the protests, arresting dozens of activists. Nonetheless, protests have continued around the country. Numbers were initially small, but the demonstrations have grown in size and scope. On Sept. 24, 2007, 100,000 Burmese citizens peacefully assembled in Rangoon; and

WHEREAS, on Sept. 26-27, 2007, tens of thousands of Buddhist monks and civilians defied police intimidation, tear gas and live bullets to protest for democracy and against the military rulers. Thousands of monks have been arrested in the ensuing military crackdown and many of them are now locked up in government holding areas.  Authorities say 10 people were killed as the protesters were dispersed, but diplomats and activists say the number of dead was many times higher.

WHEREAS, the Burmese junta has shown a persistent willingness to kill peaceful protestors to end demonstrations.  If the military government is going to listen to anyone, it will be India and China, countries with which it has close military and economic ties.  Now is the time for these countries to stand up for the Burmese people; and

WHEREAS, the AFT has been working with Burmese refugees in Thailand for the past five years leading over 250 educators in lessons on democracy and human rights; and

WHEREAS, the AFT in 1998 resolved to support democracy and peaceful reconciliation in Burma.

RESOLVED, that the AFT strongly condemn the Burmese government's violations of human and trade union rights and urge it to end its persecution of democracy and trade union activists; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT urge the military government to enter immediately into unconditional political talks with religious leaders and the leadership of the National League for Democracy , including Aung San Suu Kyi, that will lead to the restoration of democracy in Burma. [AFT Executive Council, October 2007]