September 28: Southeast Asian parliamentarians today urged the United Nations Security Council to adopt a binding resolution on Burma as the junta continues to violate human rights and defy efforts by the international community for reforms in the country.

ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus or AIPMC today in a statement, released ahead of the first Security Council consultation on Burma, urged the Council to adopt a resolution that will guarantee the restoration of democracy in Burma.

“UNSC must perform its duty - in its entirety - by now adopting a peaceful and binding resolution requiring the restoration of democracy in Burma/Myanmar,” said the release.

With a briefing by the UN undersecretary for political affairs Ibrahim Gambari on the latest situation on Burma, the United Nations Security Council, which successfully voted Burma to its agenda on September 15, is to hold the first consultation on Burma on Friday.

While the AIPMC welcomed the UNSC’s move to include Burma on its agenda, it urged the adoption of a substantial resolution as the ruling junta continues to violate the rights of its citizens.

The re-arrest of three prominent student leaders on Wednesday by the authorities is purely a sign of defying the international community including the UN’s efforts to bring changes in Burma, said the AIPMC.

“We strongly urge UNSC members to expediently adopt a comprehensive resolution that will ensure such blatantly unjustifiable acts by the junta no longer occur,” said the AIPMC in light of the arrest of the three student leaders.

Spokesperson of the AIPMC, Roshan Jason said, “the council is openly aware that the atrocities in Burma has been way too long… the spread of refugees, HIV/AIDS, and drugs are all posing threat to regional and international security.”

The Burmese military junta, however, rejected all accusations and claimed that Burma’s problems are internal and slammed the Security Council member countries of ganging up against Burma by putting it on the council’s agenda.

“It was quiet clear in the report commissioned by former Czech Republic President Haval and Bishop Desmond Tu Tu, that Burma falls on the criteria that pose a threat to other countries… despite the generals denying it,” said Jason.

Meanwhile, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro today condemned the Burmese junta for arresting the three student leaders -Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, and Htay Kywe - who were earlier released after serving long prison terms.

“The arrests lead to serious questions regarding the will of the government of Myanmar to resume an effective dialogue with the various stakeholders who should be associated to the National Convention,” Pinheiro said in the statement released today.