ASEAN legislators yesterday urged their governments to take a stronger stand and recognize the seriousness of the human security problems being caused by the Myanmar regime, according to a press release from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus issued on 24 March.

The call for attention came out during a press conference of ASEAN parliamentarians that was held yesterday in the town of Mae Sot on the Thai-Myanmar border.

In the press conference, many parliamentarians from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore attended, including: MP Mr. Charles Chong of Singapore; MP Ms. Ann Mu'awanah of Indonesia; MP Mr. Djoko Susilo of Indonesia; MP Mr. Jeffrey Johanes Massie of Indonesia; Senator Dato' Yip Kum Fook of Malaysia; MP Teresa Kok of Malayisa; MP Datin Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail of Malaysia; and Observer - former Ambassador to the UN Mr. Asda Jayanama of Thailand.

Participating parliamentarians at the press conference stressed that ASEAN governments should realize the urgency of the situation caused by the Myanmar junta's brutal human rights violations and grave economic mismanagement.

Moreover, the parliamentarians mentioned their belief that the regime's lack of democratic rule continues to negatively affect its neighboring countries and ASEAN as a whole.

"Over the past ten years the Myanmar authorities have been assuring us that there are ceasefires and roadmaps to democracy but the number of refugees fleeing has increased! About 50 percent more refugees are arriving from Burma in Thailand. In Malaysia, the numbers have gone up 300 percent. This is a human security catastrophe!" declared Dr. Wan Azizah, Member of Parliament from Malaysia, during the press conference.

The press conference was held in Mae Sot during a visit of the members of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus to the Thai-Burma border to speak with recent arrivals from Burma, as well as with those who have been there for many years now, and to witness for themselves the situation of Burmese refugees.

The team of parliamentarians also visited a refugee camp and the Mae Tao Clinic run by Magsaysay awardee Dr. Cynthia Maung. They met with various Burmese and non-Burmese organizations that work on various issues - such as health, education, environment, and migrants - which related to the struggle of Burma's people.

The parliamentarians were reminded of their need to speak up for the people of Burma in the reports of continued torture, oppression of women, rape, forced labor, displacement, flooding of villages for dam building, and the many other human rights violations occurring in Burma.

"This visit has given us an opportunity to see the human face of the Myanmar problem. It has certainly strengthened our resolve to keep up our efforts for genuine reforms in Myanmar," said MP Charles Chong of Singapore.

The visiting parliamentarians also acknowledged the need for ASEAN governments to protect refugees and migrant workers in their respective countries and ensure these vulnerable groups of people are accorded all their rights as governed by international standards and laws. "This is the 21st century, this tragedy must not be tolerated anymore. ASEAN must take strong steps at a regional and international level to stop the abuses that are forcing people out of their own country. I sincerely hope that my country, Indonesia, will use its seat on the UN Security Council to resolve this serious security problem," said MP Djoko Susilo from Indonesia.

"In the meantime, our governments should also take responsibility for the protection of these refugees. After all, ASEAN is partly to be blamed for allowing the situation in Myanmar to drag on for decades. Regimes like the Myanmar junta rightfully should not exist in this day and age," he added.

According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees report "2005 Global Trends", among others, Burma is the world's third larges source of refugees after Afghanistan and Iraq. By the end of 2005, at least 700,000 Burmese refugees had fled their country.