Statement on SPDC's recent violent crackdown on demonstrators
September 24, 2007
We, the US-based Monland Restoration Council, strongly condemn the ruling Burmese military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), over its recent violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators including Buddhist monks, who protested against SPDC over the chronic economic crisis and ever-rising prices of commodities in the country. At the same time, we strongly support the ongoing nationwide peaceful demonstration of Buddhist monks in the country.
SPDC, which was formerly known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), came into power by killing thousands of unarmed peaceful demonstrators in 1988. Since then, the regime has ruled the country by sheer force of arms and has consistently violated the basic human rights of the people. The ethnic non-Burman civilians inhabiting the outlying rural areas or war zones have experienced and suffered the greatest human rights abuses in the country.
SPDC has stubbornly disregarded all the United Nations resolutions. Now, it is time for the United Nations and the international community to intervene for immediate restoration of peace, justice, democracy and racial harmony in Burma.
Therefore, we, members of Monland Restoration Council stage a protest in front of United Nations Headquarters in New York City and strongly urge:
1. The SPDC to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, Min Ko Naing, Nai Yekkha, and Nai Cheem Gakao,
2. The SPDC to immediately stop all human rights violations in the country and announce a genuine and nation-wide cease-fire with all of the ethnic non-Burman armed opposition groups,
3. The SPDC to immediately pull all its troops out of the ethnic non-Burman territories,
4. The SPDC to negotiate promptly with the democratic and ethnic opposition groups in a genuine tripartite dialogue as recommended by the United Nations and demanded by all the peoples of Burma, and
5. The United Nations to immediately intervene to prevent further violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators in Burma.