Burma Democratic Concern (BDC): “YES WE CAN” take decisive action (13 Aug 2010)

13 August 2010

Burma’s dictators declared that election will be held on 7 November 2010. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led NLD boycott the junta’s planned election due to unfair election laws. Very military regime held the election in 1990 in which Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, National League for Democracy (NLD) won the landslide victory.

Junta ignores to honour the 1990 election results. In the mean time suppressions on the Burmese people intensified. Burmese people are living in prison like state under the military regime.

Addition, junta unilaterally adopted the constitution which legitimize military rule in Burma. According to the 14 years long unilaterally drafted constitution, military reserves the 25% of the seats at the parliaments which is totally undemocratic.

The Burma junta’s party registration laws issued this year are bias, undemocratic and drafted in the way like “Do as I say, not as I Do”.

Now, regime declares that fresh election will be held on 7 November 2010 based on 2008 unconstitutional constitution. Addition, 1990 election results are not yet honoured. In order to have true national reconciliation in Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led NLD issued the “Shwe-Gone-Daing” declaration i.e.

• To release all political prisoners

• To take place genuine dialogue

• To revise 2008 Constitution

• To Recognize 1990 election result

Myo Thein, the Director of the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) said that the
“International community must take decisive action in this critical time. We would like to urge the international community not to recognize junta’s planned sham 2010 election and its pre-meditated results. It is not the election but the junta’s magic show to change snake skin well before the international community’s very own eyes. We would like to call for all the justice loving people around the world to stand fully behind the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s call for boycotting junta’s sham 2010 election and its results”.

We must do everything we can to restore democracy, human rights and rule of law in Burma the following three main principles i.e.

1. Implement 1990 election result in Burma

This is the hope which we can defeat injustice system in Burma, this is the hope we can defeat military dictatorship in Burma, and this is the hope we can restore democracy and human rights in Burma under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected legitimate leader of Burma.

“If this country is to achieve genuine democracy, the result of the elections of 1990 must be recognized. It must be recognized by the military regime, as it has been recognized by the people, and by the world at large. It is through this recognition that we will be able to make genuine progress in Burma. The results of the 1990 General Elections must be implemented is a resolution already taken by the United Nations. We already know that the General Assembly of the United Nations has accepted the notion that the will of the people has been expressed in the 1990 General Elections. This is something we cannot abandon. It will be to the detriment of our country if after an election has been held the results are not honoured and we do not resist attempts to trivialise it”, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi insists.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi reaffirmed again the importance of implementing 1990 election result and the necessary practical action taken by international community by saying "Since 1992, the United Nations General Assembly has been passing resolutions on the human rights situation in Burma. But resolutions are not enough. Resolutions should be implemented. We think it is time that the international community took a greater interest in getting the terms of the resolutions implemented".

What is the purpose United Nations standing for if it cannot take effective action decisively rather than playing into junta’s hands? We don’t want to see UNSC being disabled due to the China or/and Russia governments (possible) use of veto whenever Burma crisis is on the table. Now people are finding ways to by-pass China or/and Russia governments’ blockage at the UNSC.

“We believe that if international governments endorse Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led people leaders as the legitimate government of Burma if should the one be formed, then it will be effectively by-passing the UNSC as well as by-passing the China or/and Russia governments' possible use of veto at the UNSC since they cannot influence individual countries from UNGA taking decisions independently”, Khin Maung Win, The Director of the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC).

We would like to give clear message to the world leaders that all the oppressed people of Burma stand firmly on upholding the “Shwe-Gone-Daing” Declaration and unanimously follow the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

2. Review junta’s sham 2008 constitution

This is the sham constitution drawn unilaterally by junta’s handpicked delegation -- which we must change. This is the sham constitution adopted unilaterally in rigged referendum – which we must change. This is the sham constitution designed to legitimise military rule in Burma -- which we must change. The essence of the 2008 Constitution is to guarantee impunity indefinitely and the 2010election will implement it.

“Therefore, we call for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to declare the unilaterally adopted Burmese junta's 2008 sham constitution, which is designed to legitimize military rule permanently in Burma, as NULL and VOID”, said U Tint Swe Thiha, the Patron of the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC).

It is reasonable to request the nullification of the 2008 Constitution by the UN Security Council. Precedence for such a move can be found in UNSC Resolution 554 regarding South Africa’s 1983 apartheid-entrenching constitution @UNSC Res 554 (15 November 1983) UN Doc A/RES/38/11

@ UNSC Res 554 (15 November 1983) UN Doc A/RES/38/11 • UNSC declares that the so-called "new constitution" is contrary to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, that the results of the referendum of 2 November1983 are of no validity whatsoever and that the enforcement of the "new constitution" will further aggravate the already explosive situation prevailing inside apartheid South Africa.

• Strongly rejects and declares as null and void the so-called "new constitution" and the "elections" to be organized in the current month of August for the “coloured” people and people of Asian origin as well as all insidious manoeuvres by the racist minority regime of South Africa further to entrench white minority apartheid rule.

3. Boycott junta’s planned sham 2010 election

Boycott junta’s planned sham 2010 election now because it is designed to nullify 1990 election result. Boycott junta’s planned sham 2010 election now because election will be held in accord with 2008 sham constitution. Boycott junta’s planned sham 2010 election now because junta is setting up everything to win its own proxy party.

“International governments can help us realising justice reality in Burma. If international governments denounce junta’s sham 2010 election and its results; then they are effectively supporting Aung San Suu Kyi’s call for boycotting junta’s planned sham 2010 election”, said Daw Khin Aye Aye Mar, the patron of the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC).

We would like to invite all the justice loving people around the world to join with us working to restore democracy, human rights and rule of law in Burma where everyone can enjoy the freedom of speech, press, beliefs, assembly and rule of law that emphasizes the protection of individual rights.

It is our duty to implement 1990 election results in which people voted for their leaders, it is our duty to review junta’s sham 2008 constitution, and it is our duty to boycott junta’s planned sham 2010 election which will legitimise military rule in Burma.

Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) believe that “YES WE CAN” to implement 1990 election result in Burma, “YES WE CAN” to change junta’s sham 2008 constitution and “YES WE CAN” to boycott junta’s planned sham 2010 election.

Together we can restore the democracy in Burma and build the better world. Let’s work together. We will win and we can bring justice realities in Burma. Yes we can since what we believe is what we achieve.

Notes: This is the press release by Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) released on 13 Aug 2010. This is reposted by Burma Democratic Concern (BDC.