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Rejection of Daw Suu Appeal Bodes Ill for “Democratic” Elections
By Burma Partnership • March 1, 2010On 26 February, Burma’s Supreme Court rejected Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s appeal to end her house arrest, giving no reason for the decision. However, Daw Suu’s lawyers are not giving up. Nyan Win said they are preparing for a special appeal, asking the chief justice of Burma to convene a panel of judges to look at the case. If that fails, he said they could ask for another appeal in the court in Naypyidaw.
“The decision shows that the election will be nowhere near all-inclusive, free and fair. With the party leader detained, the party remains in a difficult position on the election,” said National League for Democracy spokesman Khin Maung Swe.
The UN, UK, France and Canada criticized the decision and echoed the NLD position that it would hinder truly democratic elections this year. The US State Department condemned the rejection as being politically motivated, and Representative Joe Crowley said the time had come for the US to implement tighter sanctions on the regime. Setting an example for the rest of ASEAN, Singapore also condemned the decision and said that dialogue between the regime, Daw Suu, and other political parties offers “the best prospects for national reconciliation and the long-term political stability.”
Taken alongside the imprisonment of Nyi Nyi Aung and last week’s sentencing of the four women who led prayers for the release of Daw Suu, this rejection is the latest case of the junta restricting democracy forces in the lead up to the elections. If the military regime were committed to genuinely democratic elections as it claims to be, it would cease the arrest and imprisonment of civilians for peaceful activities, release Daw Suu and all of Burma’s 2,195 political prisoners, stop hostilities against ethnic civilians, and engage in dialogue with democratic and ethnic opposition groups including a review of the 2008 Constitution.
Tags: Burma Partnership, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Weekly HighlightsThis post is in: Blog
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