JAC Statement on Nagai Kenji for MOFA Japan.

Date: 26th September, 2008.
H.E. , Hirofumi Nakasone,
Foreign Minister,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Tokyo
Japan
Your Excellency,
Greetings.
We have the honor to write to you in respect of the matters mentioned below, that we would like to appeal to Your Excellency attention.
Tomorrow will be the first anniversary of Journalist Nagai Kenji, who was trying to show the real picture of Burma, was shot and killed at point blank by the Burmese army. This event had appalled the international community and outraged the Japanese people. Your Excellency government had assured to take an appropriate action.
One year ago, the monks, nuns, and citizens of Burma marched peacefully in a nationwide protest exemplifying one of the most principled and courageous nonviolent actions of our time, the “Saffron Revolution.”
Looking back one year ago, it was hard to hold back tears at what the Burmese military junta did to its own people. It was this week last year that thousands of monks, nuns, students and ordinary people poured to the streets of Rangoon and braved the security forces and their brutality. The army and police opened fire on peaceful demonstrators, killing dozens.
There was outrage all over the world. And, yet, the military dictators stood firm and carried on doing what it does best: intensifying the suppression of the Burmese people. The generals, hiding in their upcountry bunkers, knew full well that the fate of the demonstrators would not occupy the evening.
One year later we observe a dark anniversary: On every front, Burma’s generals have resisted change. The repression continues daily with activists, monks, and members of opposition political parties arrested and tortured. There are more than 2000 political prisoners, including heroic figures like leaders Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Su Su Nway, Nilar Thein, Khun Htun Oo, Zarganar and our leader nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. U Gambira, a monk leader of the Saffron Revolution, is imprisoned, awaiting his sentence.
The number of political prisoners in Myanmar has roughly doubled, to about 2,000 from 1,000 a year ago, according to the United Nations and Amnesty International. The prisoners include most of the country's smartest and most dedicated activists.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi, detained for 13 of the past 19 years, remains a lonely and isolated figure under house arrest, forced to threaten a hunger strike to get some concessions. We firmly believe that the continued detention of our pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is a major impediment to any political reform occurring our country.
Just recently, the Burmese authorities arrested Nilar Thien, a leader of the 1988 student group. More and more students activists have been were arrested without making newspaper headlines. The regime has completely ignored the international community's appeal for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and nearly 2,000 political prisoners.
As a peace loving and democratic nation, Japan should not allow these to carry on indefinitely. Moreover, as a leading nation in Asia and a responsible member of the international community, Your Excellency government has to do much more to settle these predicaments.
1. As the representatives of the Joint Action Committee of the Burmese Community in Japan, we would like to take an opportunity to appeal to Your Excellency to take consistent and steadfast measures to resolve the killing of Mr. Nagai Kenji.

2. Urge the Burmese military junta to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.

3. Urge the military junta to accept the request of National League for Democracy to convene a parliament with elected members in 1990, in order to modify the new constitution acceptable to all stakeholders.

We wish you Well and Wisdom in Your deliberations.

Joint Action Committee.