Oppose the 2010 elections on the grounds that they will further entrench the military rule in Burma

By All Burma Monks' Alliance, 88 Generation Students, All Burma Federation of Student Unions • March 10, 2010

(1) On the 8th of March, the Burmese military junta eventually announced the first of the electoral laws. To date the law for the election commission and the law for the registration of political parties have already been announced. Both of these laws are biased and result in the oppression of the people.

(2) As described in Chapter 2, section 4(b), of the law for establishing the election commission, the chairperson and members of the commission must be people whom the military government approves as reputable persons. It is blatantly clear that the election commission will not be composed of persons respected and trusted by the people. It will instead be comprised of the stooges trusted by the military junta.

(3) In section 6(c) of the law for registration of political parties, it is stated that registering parties must safeguard the constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. This totally disregards the demand by pro-democracy groups inside and outside the country to review the 2008 constitution, as also demanded in the Shwegondaing Declaration. The condition for the registration of political parties stated in section 4(e) that a party member ‘must not be a person being imprisoned’, is an intentional action that totally disregards the demand by people inside and outside the country, including UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for the unconditional release of over 2000 political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Kun Tun Oo, and Min Ko Naing. Section 25 of the law for registration of political parties annuls the results of the 1990 election. It also requires currently legally registered political parties to re-register, which could result in them losing their legal status and being banned, and is also an insult to the voters: the people.

(4) These two laws clearly show that the 2010 election cannot bring any positive political change to Burma. Therefore, in the interest of the people, we, All Burma Monks’ Alliance, 88 Generation Students, and All Burma Federation of Student Unions, declare that we will by all means resolutely oppose the 2010 election as it discards the Shwegondaing Declaration and is only being held to further entrench the military dictatorship.

Tags: 2010 Elections, 88 Generation Students, All Burma Federation of Student Unions, All Burma Monks' Alliance, Election Laws

This post is in: Press Release

Oppose the 2010 elections on the grounds that they will further entrench the military rule in Burma

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