Protest against Burma election laws

Originally appeared in Narinjara News

By Nava Thakuria

As the military rulers of Burma declare the set of election rules, the voice of opposition among international communities grows. Opposing the flaws in the election laws, which finally barred democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi from contesting the polls, the India based Burmese democratic activists have decided to organize a protest demonstration on March 17 staring at 11 in the morning. The protest rally will take place at Janta Mantar in New Delhi, informed Thin Thin Aung of Women’s League of Burma.

Mentionable that, the ruling State Peace and Development Council of Burma had released the five sets of new electoral laws on March 8 which would be implemented for the proposed general election in the country.

Moreover, the political parties registration law requires that the parties have to re-register themselves within 60 days. But for the National League for Democracy, it was like a warning to kick-out its leader and Nobel laureate Suu Kyi to get registered. With Suu Kyi, over 2200 political prisoners will prevented from participating in the elections, understandably scheduled some time later this year.

“This is totally against the will of the peoples of Burma and the international community including the United Nations. UN Secretary General has been urging the Burmese junta to release all political prisoners including Suu Kyi and start inclusive dialogue with key stakeholders from democracy groups and ethnic nationalities for the reconciliation,” asserted Dr Tint Swe, an exile Burmese MP, who won the 1990 Burma polls, but was not allowed to rule by the military junta.

On the other hand, Burma Partnership, a campaign group, commented that the election laws announced by the Burmese junta had made it exceptionally clear that upcoming elections will not be free, fair, or credible.

At this critical juncture of Burma’s struggle for democracy and peace, the major alliances of Burma’s movement for democracy and rights of ethnic nationalities have for a global campaign on Burma’s 2010 Elections.

The campaign will be launched officially through a press conference in Bangkok later this week. Later a global petition targeting the UN and other governments urging them to decisively and publicly denounce the regime’s undemocratic constitution and elections will be formulated, informed Khin Ohmar of Burma Partnership.

This post is in: 2010 Elections, News Clip