新聞稿／發言稿 Presscon/Remark

Taiwan Civil Society for Myanmar｜Second year of the people’s resistance against the military attempted coup in Myanmar & Anti-Sham Election Campaign

Time: February 5th, 2023, (Sun) 10:30 am

Location: Nanshijiao MRT station, entrance 4

This joint statement is endorsed by:

台灣聲援緬甸聯盟Taiwan Alliance For Myanmar

社團法人亞洲公民未來協會Asia Citizen Future Association, ACFA

立法委員洪申翰國會辦公室 Office of Legislator Hung Sun-Han

立法委員范雲國會辦公室Office of Legislator Fang Yun

立法委員王婉諭國會辦公室Office of Legislator Wang Wan Yu

台灣人權促進會 Taiwan Association for Human Rights

台灣廢除死刑推動聯盟Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty

人權公約施行監督聯盟 Covenants Watch

青年勞動九五聯盟 Youth Labor Union 95

桃園市群眾服務協會Serve the People Association (SPA)

台灣勞工陣線Taiwan Labour Front

清潔成衣運動東亞聯盟Clean Clothes Campaign East Asia Coalition

台灣自由圖博學聯 Students for a Free Tibet — Taiwan

西藏台灣人權連線 Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan

On the second anniversary of the people’s resistance against the military attempted coup in Myanmar, our demands are as follows:

For the Taiwanese government and the executive departments:

Openly welcome Myanmar people and activists who intend to relocate to Taiwan. Make Taiwan a more inclusive and diverse society.
Initiate sanctions against the Myanmar military junta, and endeavor towards non-cooperation with the Myanmar military junta.
Ensure continuing dialogue with CSOs in order to understand and respond to the needs and challenges met by Myanmar people in Taiwan, and to guarantee to provide necessary humanitarian assistance: (1) Do NOT deport or prosecute those Myanmar people whose travel documents have expired. (2) Effectively guarantee basic human rights including but not limited to rights for legal residence, education, healthcare, employment, and freedom of movement.

For Taiwanese-associated companies:

Immediately cease providing assistance that is in favor of the military junta.
Immediately cease any investments and projects which contribute to the junta’s reign of terror.

For the Myanmar military junta:

Immediately step down.
Immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners.

Given that Taiwan is the closest full-fledged democracy to ASEAN, and because Taiwan prides itself on its respects for human rights and democracy, it is duty bound to ensure that countries in ASEAN also do the same. It, therefore, is responsible to take effective actions against the junta’s crimes against humanity and human rights in Myanmar.

On 9th April 2021, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan pushed for a resolution to stand in solidarity with the pro-democracy movements in Myanmar, and to provide necessary assistance for Myanmarese people who reside in Taiwan. However, officially and publicly expressing parliamentary resolutions is not enough. We, thus, call for the executive departments of Taiwanese government to actively cooperate with civil society to tackle the problems and to endorse Taiwan’s obligation to support human rights in the region.

With the Myanmar military junta’s ongoing illegitimate rule, Myanmar people residing in Taiwan are facing numerous challenges. The Taiwanese government should render assistance to those whose passports and travel documents have expired, and to protect their legitimate rights to reside in Taiwan. The Taiwanese government should abide by the principle of non-refoulement. Furthermore, the Taiwanese government should also ensure the protection of their basic human rights, including but not limited to the rights for education, healthcare, freedom of movement, and employment.

Additionally, Taiwan should establish relationships with Myanmar’s democracy movements and human rights communities in order to support Myanmar people’s movement to rebuild democracy in Myanmar and protect human rights in Myanmar.

We, Taiwan civil society, pledge to stand in solidarity with the people’s resistance against the military attempted coup in Myanmar; we stand against the junta’s sham election, and we strongly condemn the junta’s ongoing widespread crimes against humanity.