Conference Statement

11th Annual Human Rights Programme of CCA,
Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Date: November 8, 2007

President of Pakistan
General Pervez Musharraf

Appeal to end the state of emergency in Pakistan and restoration of all fundamental rights of the people

Your Excellency Mr. President,

We, the Participants of the 11th Annual Human Rights Training programme of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), which was held from the 3rd to the 9th of November 2007, Chiang Mai, Thailand; comprising of 30 individuals from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia Japan, Laos, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are very shocked and concerned at the situation emerging after the imposition of state of emergency in Pakistan by you wherein the constitution of the country stands in abeyance and the rights of the people are at stake.

We are aware that the imposition of the state of emergency by the military government on the 3rd of November 2007, and through the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) which has replaced the constitution of Pakistan, fundamental rights has been suspended. This has resulted in the arrest of judges, lawyers, human rights activists including some of their children being harassed, arrested and tortured by the law enforcement agencies. According to media reports many opposition political leaders and party workers have been arrested. All television and radio channels that are not run by the state have been stopped from broadcasting their programmes, therefore we vehemently protest and condemn this act.

We strongly urge General President Musharraf to restore Peace and Order in the state and to immediately announce general public election. Also we would like you to ensure that all political parties are given equal opportunity to contest in the election. All the political leaders who are in exile should be allowed to participate in the electoral process. We further call his Excellency to put a stop to these violations of human rights, and we strongly urge that all political prisoners should be immediately release unconditionally.

Many of our countries have experienced military rule which has brought about many grave human rights violations and we do not want our brothers and sisters in Pakistan to experience the same.

We hope our humble appeal to you will be considered in bringing peace and solidarity to Pakistan as an example to the international community.

Thanking you in Prayers,
Sincerely,
The participants

11th Annual Human Rights Programme of CCA,
Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Date: November 8, 2007

Senior General Than Shwe
Nepyidaw, Myanmar

A Statement of Concern for the People of Myanmar

We, the Participants of the 11th Annual Human Rights Training programme of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), comprising of 30 individuals from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia Japan, Laos, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand which was held from the 3rd to the 9th of November 2007, Chiang Mai, Thailand, wish to issue a statement of concern.

For the past 45 years the people of Myanmar have been suffering and struggling under the authoritarian military regime, thus leading to political, civil, economic, cultural and social rights denial. In the last week of September 2007, we also learnt that under your command the authorities have misused their power by beating, torturing and killing the monks who were peacefully expressing their concern about the entire situation in Myanmar. Further more many monks and innocent people have been detained without trial and some of them whereabouts are not known. Therefore we strongly protest and condemn this kind of brutality.

It has been brought to our notice that Myanmar is one of the oldest members of the United Nations but the government has failed to implement the UN charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its Covenants.

We also know that at present, the UN representative Mr. Ibrahim Gambari’s meeting was refused by the government, which could result in prolonging the current status quo and will result in continuation of human right violations. We hope that you will co-operate with him to solve issues relating to poverty, the violation of Human Rights and the many political issues of Myanmar. We also expect that you will make a historic decision for national reconciliation and release all political prisoners including the Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi immediately without any pre- conditions.


We hope this statement will be considered in bringing peace, democracy and solidarity to the people of Myanmar.


Thanking you in Prayers,
Sincerely,
The participants

11th Annual Human Rights Programme of CCA,
Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Date: November 8, 2007

To:
Member Churches and National Council from Christian Conference of Asia

We, the Participants of the 11th Annual Human Rights Training programme of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), comprising of 30 individuals from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia Japan, Laos, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, which was held from the 3rd to the 9th November 2007, Chiang Mai Thailand, are concerned at the emerging abuse of Human rights in varying degrees in different countries.

As a Christian Community we have a role to contribute in bringing peace and solidarity to all nations. We are alarmed by the different faces of Human rights violations occurring in our own nations. To mention a few, the emergency rule in Pakistan, the struggle for democracy in Myanmar, the extra judicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines, the criminal injustice in Japan, the rise of extremism in India, the emergency rule in Sri Lanka and many more.

At this juncture, we call upon all Christian communities to contribute in bringing awareness to the people and to respond to these emerging issues from time to time. We also call upon all Christian Communities to draw the attention of the International Bodies in addressing these ongoing violence happening around the world.

As participants of this Human Rights training, we feel that the training is meaningful and very relevant in our continuing effort to promote and uphold human rights. We hope this kind of training will have a continuous support from all the member churches of Christian Conference of Asia (CCA).

Let us be the voice of Hope, Peace and Justice to all humankind and never forgetting Christ as the core of our ministry.

Thanking you in prayers,
Sincerely,

The participants.