Ten Alliances call for "People's Elections" on 27 May
Ten Alliances call for "People's Elections" on 27 May 12 May 2010
The ten leading alliances of Burma’s democracy and ethnic rights movement are calling on Burmese communities and organizations in exile and Burma solidarity groups around the world to hold “People’s Elections” on 27 May to express the people’s desire for a genuine democratic change in Burma.
Twenty-seven May will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1990 elections in which the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 82% of seats. The NLD and other 1990 election winning parties have decided not to contest the elections this year due to the military junta’s unfair election laws and undemocratic preparations for the elections. Despite facing dissolution as legal political entities, these parties have pledged to continue their struggle for democracy through peaceful means.
“The Ten Alliances want to recognise and show our ongoing support to the efforts of the NLD and other democratic forces in Burma over the last 20 years. This Global Day of Action will be a united stand against this year’s elections, as part of our ongoing Campaign Against Burma’s 2010 Military Elections. The international community will join the people of Burma, the NLD, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the democracy and ethnic rights movement in rejecting these sham elections”, said U Moe Zaw Oo, Joint General Secretary of the National League for Democracy – Liberated Area (NLD–LA) and coordinator of the Foreign Affairs Coordinating Team (FACT) of the Ten Alliances.
The Ten Alliances have called on the groups to hold events in public places where people can vote for genuine democratic elections in Burma and ask ASEAN and national governments to denounce the 2010 elections and reject the results unless the regime changes course and meets the minimum benchmarks set out by the democracy movement:
1. The release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
2. Cessation of hostilities against ethnic and democracy groups
3. Inclusive dialogue with key stakeholders from democracy groups and ethnic nationalities, including a review of the 2008 Constitution
The Ten Alliances of Burma’s democracy and ethnic rights movement represent 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. The Campaign Against Burma’s 2010 Military Elections was launched on 19 March in Bangkok, with the support of over 150 groups from all over the world.
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