CMPP Statement 1 (English)

Letter of concern to the State Peace and Development Council regarding current crisis in Myanmar

September 9, 2007

We as concerned Myanmar physicians and professionals have been following current events inside Myanmar with great concern especially in regard to the treatment of political detainees. We are also very saddened and discouraged by news of heavy-handed suppressions of peaceful public protesters by the government and the way the protest leaders were arrested, interrogated, purportedly tortured and denied access to proper medical care.

Hundreds of peaceful demonstrators have been arrested in recent weeks. Their family members do not even know the whereabouts of the detainees. Especially troubling is unconfirmed but reliable news that one of the detainees "Ko Jimmy" has died during interrogation.

Therefore, as fellow Myanmars, and members of the healing profession, we call upon you to respect international norms regarding the treatment of detainees and to refrain from torture in any form. We further request the Myanmar authorities to provide proper medical care to those detainees who are in need and to grant family members access and regular visits to them by medical personnel on humanitarian grounds.

We call upon the government for immediate and unconditional release of Min Ko Naing and leaders of 88 generation students and others arrested in connection with the public expression of the crippling economic situation.

We demand for release of our national leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners and start negotiations for national reconciliations.

We hereby show our solidarity with those who are bravely standing up for the public interests by demanding that the SPDC take immediate measures to roll back the fuel prices and to help alleviate the sky-rocketing cost of living.

We denounce any form of violence and demand SPDC to refrain from harsh and violent handling of present and future peaceful public protests in relation to just demands for better living conditions.

We also strongly urge our fellow physicians, nurses and medical personnel in Myanmar to treat those tortured with the respect and dignity they deserve. We as healers have a duty to provide care to our fellow citizens in need.

Concerned Myanmar Physicians & Professionals


http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/CMPP/