CNF urges US to have Suu Kyi released

Khonumthung News, June 3 - The Chin National Front (CNF) has dispatched a seven-point statement to the US government on June 2, which includes the demand for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The CNF has been fighting the Burmese military junta for 20 years for democracy and a federal state in Burma.

In the statement the CNF has requested the government of the United States of America to take note of the following recommendations for its policy review which are - to continue targeted sanctions and arms embargo; to keep on pushing for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners; to appoint a Special Envoy to Burma in order to build political support and momentum necessary for multi-party talks; to take a lead role in bringing China, India and ASEAN to support the commencement of political dialogue in Burma; to endeavour bringing the Burma issue to the UN Security Council till a legal binding resolution is passed; to provide financial assistance to Burmese democracy movement particularly for the activities of ethnic the armed resistance groups, and to give humanitarian and financial assistance for victims of the food crisis in Chin State and western Burma.

Besides, the CNF has strongly opposed the forthcoming 2010 general elections as it feels it cannot eradicate political and economic crisis in Burma. It will only provide legitimacy to the present military dictatorship. Only a tripartite dialogue can pave the way for durable peace in Burma.

In its statement CNF has urged the US government to take note of the human rights violations, growing narcotics and human trafficking, religious persecution, food crisis in Chin state due to bamboo flowering and the political imbroglio in the country, which are no longer seen just as domestic issues, but rather as a threat to international peace and security and a matter of serious concern for both regional states and the international community.

The CNF has especially requested the US government to take immediate action and to push the military regime in Burma to release Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

The statement said that the Chin National Front (CNF) was formed on 20 March, 1988. CNF is not only a member of the National Council of the Union of Burma but also the National Democratic Front, which has been fighting the military regime for 33 years. The CNF is the armed group of the Chin people and represents the Chin people in the international political arena.