Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) - A conference of the All India Youth Federation held from October 26 to 28 in New Delhi discussed threadbare Burma’s deteriorating human rights situation and called for the immediate release of detained Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

The AIYF conference marked the 50^th anniversary of the organization and the resolution adopted denounced the Burmese junta’s anti-democratic attitude and appealed to the international community to press the regime to release Aung San Suu Kyi.

“The forthcoming 2010 election is unacceptable. We also called on the military regime to release Aung San Suu Kyi immediately,” Murugun, General Secretary of AIYF, told Mizzima on Wednesday.

Murugun said, the conference also discussed issues ranging from world affairs to Burmese affairs and extended its solidarity to the democracy movement in the military-ruled Southeast Asian nation.

The All India Youth Federation is the youth wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI), and is a member of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, which is currently holding its Asia-Pacific regional conference.

The conference of the WFDY, of which two Burmese students and youth organisations - the All Burma Students League (ABSL) and All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU) - are also members, is being attended by over 500 youths from 10 countries including China, Vietnam, Burma, Lebanon and Hungary.

“What is happening in Burma is the regime is absolutely against the people’s mandate,” said Murugun. “The people should defeat the military junta.”

Communist Party of India (CPI)’s Secretary D. Raja, during his speech at the conference encouraged participants to support Burmese students and youths, who have been struggling for democracy and freedom for 20 years.

“He also explained to them about the current political situation in Burma and hoped that the day when democracy will be restored in the country is drawing nearer,” Kyaw Than, President of the New Delhi-based All Burmese Students League (ABSL), who attended the conference, told Mizzima.

Along with Kyaw Than, the conference was also attended by the foreign affairs in-charge of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), Kyaw Win.

Murugun said the ongoing World Federation Democratic Youth (WFDY)’s Asia Pacific Regional Forum, which began after the AIYF’s 50^th anniversary, will further discuss democracy and human rights issues across the world including in Sri Lanka and Burma on Thursday.

“I am really impressed with the conference. This sort of activity is rarely seen in Burma. Youths across the world could get together and discuss world matters,” Kyaw Win, said.

Burma’s military rulers have banned student unions and organisations including the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU). Leaders of the ABFSU including prominent activists Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi are now under detention.

Edited by Mungpi