Event: Exhibition – “Free Burma’s Political Prisoners Now”

Admission: Free

Hosts: ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC)

Launch Date: 27th April 2008 (Sunday)

Time: 8.00pm to 10.00pm

Full Exhibition dates: 28th – 29th April 2008 (Monday and Tuesday)

Time: 9.00am to 9.00pm

Venue: Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall No.1, Jalan Maharajalela, 50150 Kuala Lumpur

Contact: 012 – 375 0974 (Roshan Jason)

016 – 308 6850 (Edmund Teoh)

03 – 7984 7318 (Office)

AIPMC in collaboration with the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners, Burma (AAPP-B) and the Burma Workers Rights Protection Committee, Malaysia, hosted a photo exhibition showcasing images of political prisoners in Burma, the situation of refugeees from Burma in Malaysia and images from the crackdown on the 2007 Saffron Revolution in Burma.

Antara News – 23 April 2007

JAKARTA – The 116th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Bali is expected to discuss the democratization issue in Myanmar because many countries have given serious attention to the Myanmarese issue.

“Attention to the Myanmarese issue tends to increase from various countries. The government should initiate and play a role in promoting democratization process in Myanmar,” Chairman of the Indonesian Parliamentary Caucus on Myanmar, Djoko Susilo, said at the House of Representatives (DPR) building on Tuesday.

He said that Indonesia seemed to be ashamed of becoming a pioneer for promoting democratization process in Myanmar.

Djoko said that IPU needed to discuss the democratization issue in Myanmar because the country had not gained significant progress in democratization.

“IPU needs to issue a statement on Myanmar, including on the release of democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi,” Djoko who is a member of the National Mandate Party faction of the House of Representatives said.

(Effective April 22, 2008)

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) is pleased to present its new Steering Committee as listed below. It is comprised of serving Members of Parliament, with the exception of AIPMC’s senior adviser who is a former Parliamentarian, from six ASEAN member nations.

President

Kraisak Choonhavan (Thailand)

Vice Presidents

Charles Chong (Singapore)

Son Chhay (Cambodia)

(Chairs of National Caucuses)

Djoko Susilo (Indonesia)

Lorenzo Tanada (Philippines)

Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (Malaysia)

Secretary

Teresa Kok (Malaysia)

Exco Members

Alongkorn Polabutr (Thailand)

Ana Theresia Hontiveros (Philippines)

Nursyahbani Katjasungkana (Indonesia)

Eva Kusuma Sundari (Indonesia)

Chhit Kim Yeat (Cambodia)

Saumura Tioulong (Cambodia)

Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Singapore)

Michael Palmer (Singapore)

Inderjit Singh (Singapore)

Lim Kit Siang (Malaysia)

Senior Adviser

Zaid Ibrahim (Malaysia)

Loretta Ann P. Rosales (Philippines)

AIPMC would like to record its sincere appreciation to its out-going President, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim from Malaysia, and previous Steering Committee members (2004 – 2008), for their invaluable contribution and efforts made to further the cause of promoting democracy and human rights in Myanmar.

For further information, please contact Roshan Jason (AIPMC Executive Director) at +6012-3750974 or the numbers above

Associated Press – 14 April 2008

BRUSSELS–Myanmar’s planned referendum on a new constitution will
be reduced to a mere “ritual” unless international observers are allowed
to monitor the vote, a U.N. human rights investigator said Monday.

The military regime in Myanmar will need to allow the opposition to
organize and allow more free speech rights for the May 10 referendum
to have any credibility, said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro.

“How can you have a referendum without any of the basic freedoms?”
he asked in an interview. “It would be important to have international
observers to validate the referendum, because if not it would be just
a ritual without real content.”

Pinheiro said he had received reports of supporters of a “no” vote
in the referendum being detained.

“How can you believe in this referendum?” Pinheiro told The Associated
Press on the sidelines of a visit to the European Parliament. “I haven’t
seen any sign of liberalization,” he said.

Associated Press – 14 April 2008

BRUSSELS–Myanmar’s planned referendum on a new constitution will

be reduced to a mere “ritual” unless international observers are allowed

to monitor the vote, a U.N. human rights investigator said Monday.

The military regime in Myanmar will need to allow the opposition to

organize and allow more free speech rights for the May 10 referendum

to have any credibility, said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro.

“How can you have a referendum without any of the basic freedoms?”

he asked in an interview. “It would be important to have international

observers to validate the referendum, because if not it would be just

a ritual without real content.”

Pinheiro said he had received reports of supporters of a “no” vote

in the referendum being detained.

“How can you believe in this referendum?” Pinheiro told The Associated

Press on the sidelines of a visit to the European Parliament. “I haven’t

seen any sign of liberalization,” he said.

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Channel NewsAsia – 13 April 2008

PRAGUE: Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo believes
Myanmar’s proposed constitution will not be to the liking of many.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Czech counterpart, Karel
Schwazenberg in Prague on Saturday, he noted that next month’s
referendum will — unfortunately — not be supported by Myanmar’s
main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).

He said the military in Myanmar will continue to have a strong role
to play.

Mr Yeo said while ASEAN’s continued engagement of Myanmar may
not be viewed with favour by some European nations, it is absolutely
necessary and one which serves the long—term interest of the region,
and also that of Europe’s.