Parliaments asked to pressure Myanmar to adopt reforms

Global pressure must sometimes be applied so governments will implement changes they need but are unwilling to make.

Parliaments around the world have been urged to establish pressure groups in their respective countries to exert global political pressure on Myanmar to adopt democratic reforms.

During the recently concluded 112th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Manila, the issue of Myanmar, formerly called Burma, was taken up at committee level — specifically Myanmar’s dismal human rights record, since this was not included in the official agenda of the event.

IPU Secretary General Anders Johnsson disclosed that a report was delivered by the human rights committee, which called for the initiative by parliaments to increase pressure on Myanmar at the parliamentarian political level.

Johnsson explained that the IPU has been known as an organization that defends democracy and promotes peace and that it has recognized the "massive disrespect for human rights" of the military junta of Myanmar.

Members of the parliament of Myanmar, who were elected but never allowed to hold office, were present during the IPU assembly in Manila and managed to gain the support of the various members of parliament at the conference.

The main campaign to increase pressure on Myanmar was spearheaded by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) group of parliamentarians, who are calling for the blocking of Myanmar’s chairmanship to the ASEAN next year if it fails to release its political detainees and institute democratic reforms.

Political leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned and later put under house arrest in political harassment that has lasted over a decade and many of her party mates have died in prison.

Besides the issue of human rights violations committed by the Myanmar government, the committee also tackled human rights violations in Malaysia and Aceh, Indonesia.

Johnsson said the committee dealt exhaustively with the case of former Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was imprisoned on allegations of sodomy and plunder.

Anwar has since been released after being acquitted of the sodomy charge, but the plunder case against him is still ongoing.

"We now express satisfaction for (Anwar’s) release," Johnsson said. "But the committee is asking that his political rights be fully restored, which is not the case for the time being."

He also cited the case of a member of parliament of Indonesia from Aceh who was assassinated a few years ago, saying, "We are concerned about the slow pace of the investigation. We are urging Indonesia to have efforts to identify those who assassinated him."