AI Nepal organized Myanmar Election Campaign programme on 10th of July 2010 in Kathmandu.The programme was organized at the national secretariat of AI Nepal and collected signatures urging to ensure the all kinds of freedom in Myanmar before the upcoming General Election. On the occasion most of the participants were from local women NGOs who joined the event of AI Nepal and collected more than 300 signatures. AI Nepal will deliver those signatures to the embassy of Myanmar in Kathmandu.
AI Nepal also sent a letters to the embassy of ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations ) countries on 12th of July 2010 following the Amnesty International’s Kuala Lumpur Action Plan. The Action Plan focused to exert positive pressure the Myanmar Government through the ASEAN members countries.
Director of AI Nepal Rameshwar Nepal sent letters to the embassy of Thailand and Malaysia in Kathmandu, demanding them to speak out against Myanmar’s appalling human rights situation.
ASEAN is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
AI’s Myanmar Election Campaign has mainly focused on:
- Freedom for all Prisoners of Conscience and fair trials or freedom for political prisoners,
- Freedoms of expression, assembly and association for all people in Myanmar,
- Demanding member countries of ASEAN to speak out against Myanmar’s appalling human rights situation
The first time in 20 years, Myanmar is set to hold national elections. But there is very little safe space for peaceful political dissent. As a country plagued by a long history of political repression and human rights abuse, the chance for freedom and positive change for Myanmar is slim.
Repression of freedom of association, expression and assembly is an ongoing and serious concern in Myanmar, where anyone who speaks or acts out, or is affiliated to actions against the government is at risk of arbitrary arrest, torture, imprisonment and extrajudicial executions.
As the elections approach, there are good reasons to believe that repression against political opponents will intensify, as the military attempts to maintain their strong hold on power.