Christian watchdog latest to condemn National Convention
Mizzima News (www.mizzima. com)
July 20, 2007 - Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has joined the chorus of voices blasting the junta's final National Convention session.
"The National Convention is a complete sham designed to entrench and extend the military regime's power," said Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW, in a July 19th statement.
Linking the National Convention process with the abuses detailed in a recent Free Burma Rangers (FBR) report, Windsor comments that "the exclusion of the major democracy and ethnic groups, combined with the military's continuing crimes against humanity in the ethnic areas, is surely proof enough that the regime is not sincere about reform."
According to the FBR report, released July 13th, persistent campaigns in Karen State over the course of recent months have resulted in repeated incidents of forced labor, killings, torture and rape.
The crimes documented by FBR include the following events of May 17th: "Burma Army troops shot and killed Naw Ku Lue, 19, during an attack on the village of Klaw Kloe Lo. Naw Ku Lue was killed in her farm house and her body was then burned with the house. In this same attack, 7 other houses and 20 tins of rice were also burned."
Another listing details what happened to two women from Papun District out working in the fields. The report states they were "raped, their breasts and ears were cut, and then they were killed by Burma Army soldiers."
Echoing the multitude of voices in opposition to the National Convention, CSW calls on the international community to toughen its stance against the regime and strongly refute any product resulting from the National Convention.
CSW urges the regime to engage opposition parties in a true dialogue aimed at national reconciliation.
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