Statement 5/2007

Concerned Myanmar Physicians and Professionals
( Statement 5/2007)

We, the concerned Myanmar physicians and professionals view with cautious optimism, the offer of dialogue made by the military regime. However, the preconditions set for the meeting between Senior General Than Shwe and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi call into question the regime's sincerity in making this gesture.

We are also very much concerned about the continuing arrests and night time raids of monasteries and homes taking place in various parts of the country, the conditions of the recent detainees who have not been given access to health care or allowed visits by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) personnel.

We, therefore, strongly urge the SPDC to initiate an immediate dialogue without any prerequisites.

We also call upon the SPDC to show its sincerity for national reconciliation by removing the present climate of intimidation. We demand that SPDC stop immediately the arrests and night time raids of monasteries and private homes. We further urge the SPDC to grant detainees, access to medical care and visits by ICRC personnel and family members based on humanitarian grounds.

We reiterate our call for unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 88 generation student leaders and all remaining political prisoners.

We also call upon SPDC to meet the demands of Sanghas as to show they are true Buddhists and followers of Buddhism.

We take this opportunity to honor and salute the venerable Sangha and people who have sacrificed their lives and freedom for the common good of our people of Burma who have been denied their basic human rights and decent living conditions.

We welcome the UN and international community's commitment to bring positive changes in our country's current crisis and call upon them to continue in their efforts to bring freedom and national reconciliation to Burma.

With this statement, we express our solidarity with Burmese people and strongly pledge our continued commitment and support for our people's struggle for freedom and national reconciliation.

Concerned Myanmar Physicians and Professionals

October 8, 2007.