"Arrests are still taking place. The regime is now taking family members in hostage when the searched persons are not at home. SPDC is conducting widespread arbitrary arrests in Rangoon and elsewhere", he added.
People and organisations met by the FIDH/ITUC mission believe that the SPDC is not genuinely committed to a process of political dialogue. "The regime is trying to save time in order for the media attention to phase down. This is the stalling tactics the regime has played over the years.
Than Shwe's proposal came with unacceptable preconditions placed on Aung San Suu Kyi at a time when large-scale arrests and other repressive measures are still on-going", said Olivier De Schutter, Secretary General of FIDH. All organizations mentioned that the top priority for a genuine dialogue is the release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Ko Ming Ko Naing.
Gambari's mission cannot be a success without increased pressure from the international community "The international community must establish benchmarks and a timeframe for the coming year, and assess progress every month" said Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the ITUC.
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