01 November 2010
Today, a six-member delegation of the 14 Burma pro-democracy organisations, based in the United Kingdom, has delivered signature campaign letters to the British Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street, London, urging to take a lead to implement the UN-led effort to secure genuine tripartite dialogue, to condemn 2010 sham election and reject its results. A total of 632 signatures are collected from the Burma communities in the U.K.
This signature campaign is to highlight Burma’s November 7 fake elections, based on SPDC’s 2008 undemocratic constitution, which does not guarantee the basic human rights of people, ignores the principles of equality and popular sovereignty, and makes the military as a special privileged class allowing them to occupy 1/4 of the parliamentary seats in both houses and 1/3 of the seats in the States and Regions. There will be no independent of judiciary. Just voice of the people will not be tolerated and nobody will be able to repeal unjust laws and enact just laws. The constitution undermines federal democracy, ignores the agreed upon principle of ‘unity in diversity’ and effectively denies ‘right of self-determination’ of the ethnic nationalities. Therefore, the upcoming elections will not signify or advance democratic reform and, evidently, it is detrimental to the interest and against the aspiration of the people of Burma.
2008 constitution is designed to maintain dictatorship whoever wins the elections making it impossible to amend the constitution. The dictatorship in Burma has restricted political parties using draconian methods in the election law, banning several genuine democratic parties including National League for Democracy.
In the signature campaign letter, the 14 organisations call upon the UK government to take the lead on the following actions:
1. To urge governments, including the ASEAN, to condemn the fake elections to be held on 7 November 2010;
2. To urge the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to pressure Burma’s military regime to release all political prisoners immediately;
3. To urge UN Secretary General to declare the 2010 election null and void by not recognizing its results;
4. To urge the UN Secretary General to implement UN-led effort to secure genuine dialogue among democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi, Ethnic Representatives and Burmese regime.
This signature campaign is organized by the following organisations:
1. 88 Generation Student - UK
2. Arakanese Community - UK
3. Arakan Rohingya National Organisation - UK
4. Burmese Democratic Movement Association - UK
5. Burmese Muslim Association - UK
6. Burmese Rohingya Organisation - UK
7. Chin Community UK
8. Democratic Party for a New Society – UK
9. Karen Community Association - UK
10. Karenni Community - UK
11. Kachin National Organisation – UK
12. Mon Community – UK
13. National League for Democracy Liberated Area Europe
14. Women of Burma Organisation – UK
