Burma’s Movement for Democracy and Ethnic Rights Launches Global Campaign Against 2010 Elections

By Ten Alliances • March 19, 2010

In response to the military regime’s new election laws, Burma’s movement for democracy and rights of ethnic nationalities launched a global campaign today condemning the upcoming elections as shutting the door to any prospects for genuine democracy and national reconciliation. The Global Campaign Against Burma’s 2010 Military Elections calls on the international community to denounce these elections and refuse to recognize the results.

“By banning prisoners from joining political parties and running in the elections, the new laws are excluding our most important democratic leaders— including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Khun Htun Oo and other key leaders—from the elections. Without their participation, we can be sure that elections will not be inclusive, free or fair,” said U Thein Oo, MP-Elect (National League for Democracy), and Secretary, Members of Parliament Union.

The movement has consistently called on the regime to meet minimum benchmarks for the elections to be a step towards genuine democracy and national reconciliation. These benchmarks include: (1) the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; (2) cessation of attacks against ethnic communities and democracy activists; and (3) genuine and inclusive political dialogue, including a review of the 2008 Constitution.

“We take these undemocratic election laws as a clear signal that the regime is refusing to meet our minimum benchmarks. It is clear that these elections are the junta’s attempt to legitimize their power, and will not lead to genuine democratic progress in Burma. At this critical time, we ask the international community to stand with us by denouncing the junta’s elections and refusing to recognize the results,” said Ma Khin Ohmar, Foreign Affairs Secretary, Forum for Democracy in Burma, and member of the Foreign Affairs Coordinating Team.

Naw Zipporah Sein, General Secretary of the Karen National Union, added, “These elections will only compound the suffering of our ethnic people. The 2008 Constitution, which will be enacted through the elections, centralizes military control over ethnic areas and grants blanket immunities for the regime’s crimes against humanity. These crimes cannot be allowed to continue. We ask the UN Security Council to pass a resolution for a Commission of Inquiry into these crimes, as well as impose an arms embargo to stop their access to new weapons.”

This global campaign has been initiated by a group of major alliances representing the most broad-based and multi-ethnic cooperation of political and civil society organizations from inside and in exile working for national reconciliation, peace, and freedom in Burma. At the time of launch, the campaign has the support of 150 groups from all over the world.

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For more information, please contact:

Thwin Linn Aung – Coordinator, Foreign Affairs Coordinating Team: +66 (0)878502354
Soe Aung – Deputy Coordinator, Burma Partnership: +66 (0)818399816
Jessica Stevens – Media and Communications Officer, Burma Partnership: +66 (0)851366702

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Endorsing Organizations as of 19 March, 2010

National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB)
Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB)
• Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)
• All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF)
• All Burma Muslim Union (ABMU)
• All Burma Young Monks’ Union (ABYMU)
• Chin National Front (CNF)
• Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma (CRDB)
• Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS)
• Democratic Party for Arakan (DPA)
• Federation of Trade Unions – Burma (FTUB)
• Karen National Union (KNU)
• Lahu Democratic Front (LDF)
• Muslim Liberation Organization of Burma (MLOB)
• Myeik Dawei United Front (MDUF)
• Naga National League for Democracy (NNLD)
• Network for Democracy and Development (NDD)
• Palaung State Liberation Organization (PSLF)
• Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO)
• Wa National Organization (WNO)
• Overseas Burmese Liberation Front (OBLF)
• Overseas Karen Organization (OKO)
• People’s Patriotic Party (PPP)
• People’s Liberation Front (PLF)
• People’s Progressive Front (PPF)
• People’s Defence Force (PDF)
National Democratic Front
• Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)
• Chin National Front (CNF)
• Lahu Democratic Front (LDF)
• Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF)
• Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO)
• Wa National organization (WNO)
• New Mon State Party (NMSP)
• Kayan New Land Party (KNLP)
• Karen National Union (KNU)
National League for Democracy – Liberated Area (NLD-LA)
Members of Parliamentary Union (MPU)
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)
Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB)
• All Burma Federation of Student Unions – Foreign Affairs Committee
• All Burma Student Democratic Front
• Burmese Women’s Union
• Democratic Party for New Society
• Network for Democracy and Development
• People Defense Force
• Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association
Women’s League of Burma
• Burmese Women’s Union (BWU)
• Kachin Women’s Association – Thailand (KWAT)
• Karen Women’s Organization (KWO)
• Karenni National Women’s Organization (KNWO)
• Kuki Women’s Human Rights Organization (KWHRO)
• Lahu Women’s Organization (LWO)
• Palaung Women’s Organization (PWO)
• Pa-O Women’s Union (PWU)
• Rakhaing Women’s Union (RWU)
• Shan Women’s Action Network (SWAN)
• Tavoy Women’s Union (TWU)
• Women’s League of Chinland
• Women’s Rights & Welfare Association of Burma (WRWAB)
Students and Youth Congress of Burma
• All Arakan Students’ and Youths’ Congress
• All Burma Students’ Democratic Front
• All Burma Students League
• All Kachin Students and Youth Union
• Arakan League for Democracy – Youth Wing (Exile)
• Democratic Party for a New Society – Youth
• Karen Youth Organization
• Kayan New Generation Youth
• Kuki Students Democratic Front
• Mon Youth Progressive Organization
• National League for Democracy – Liberated Area, Youth
• Naga National League for Democracy – Youth
• Pa-O Youth Organization
• Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization
• Tavoyan Youth Organization
• Zomi Students and Youth Organization
Nationalities Youth Forum
• All Arakan Students’ and Youths’ Congress
• All Kachin Students and Youth Union
• Arakan Youth Network Group
• Chin Students’ Union
• Karenni National Youth Organization
• Karenni Student Union
• Karen Youth Organisation
• Kayan New Generation Youth
• Mon Unity League
• Pa-O Youth Organization
• Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization
• United Lahu Youth Organization
• Zomi Students and Youth Organisation
Alternative Asean Network on Burma
Arakan League for Democracy (Exile-India)
Arakan Workers’ Union
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development
Asia Pacific Solidarity Coalition
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia)
Association Suisse-Birmanie
Backpack Health Worker Team
Burma Action Ireland
Burma Campaign Australia
Burma Campaign Korea
Burma Campaign New Zealand
Burma Centre Delhi
Burma Democratic Concern
Burma Medical Association
BurmaInfo (Japan)
Burmese American Democratic Alliance
Canadian Friends of Burma
Center for People’s Dialogue (Sri Lanka)
Chin Human Rights Organization
Chin National Community – Japan
Chin Students and Youth Federation
Chin Women Organization – Japan
Chin Youth Conference
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
CISL (Italian Confederation of Workers Trade Union)
English PEN
Falam Chin Women Development
Federation of Workers Union of the Burmese Citizens (Japan)
Foundation for Media Alternatives (Philippines)
Free Burma Campaign Singapore
Free Burma Coalition (South Africa)
Free Burma Coalition Philippines (Philippines)
Friends of Burma (Thailand)
Friends of the Third World (Sri Lanka)
Generation Wave (Burma)
Grassroots Human Rights Education and Development
Hong Kong Coalition for a Free Burma
Human Rights Education Institute of Burma
Info Birmanie (France)
Initiative for International Dialogue (Philippines)
International Campaign for Freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma
International Women’s Partnership for Peace and Justice
Karen Rivers Watch
Kayan National Development Foundation
Kayan Women’s Organization
Kuki Women Human Rights Organization
Lamkang Naga Students Union
Lamkang National Council
Naga Senior Citizens’ Forum
Naga Students Union Delhi
Naga Youth Organization
National Health and Education Committee (Burma)
People in Need (Czech Republic)
People in Peril (Slovakia)
People’s Forum on Burma (Japan)
Polish Burma Solidarity
Reporters Without Borders
Social and Health Development Association
Solidaritas Indonesia untuk Burma (Indonesian Solidarity for Burma)
Swedish Burma Committee
Swedish Democratic Students Burma Project
Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma
Zanniat Youth Organization
Zomi Community Committee
Zomi National Congress
Zomi Reunification Organisation
Zomi Womens Union