“vague, incomplete and strange”.
“Without the participation of Suu Kyi, the NLD and ethnic parties the people will not accept this constitution,”
“This is a move away from democracy, not towards it,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “It is public relations spin because they are afraid of stronger sanctions being imposed. They are defying the Security Council by going ahead with this sham process and refusing to hold genuine talks with Aung San Suu Kyi and leaders of ethnic groups. There needs to be a strong international response to say that this will not be accepted.”
By going ahead with the next steps of its so-called 7 stage road map to democracy, the regime is sending a strong message that it is not genuine about engaging with the United Nations in a real process of national reconciliation and reform. The regime has yet to enter into genuine dialogue with the National League for Democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi. It has, in effect, banned UN Envoy Ibrahim Gambari from entering the country. A visit scheduled for December was delayed until January, and then pushed back to April. This prompted the UN Security Council to issue its second Presidential statement on Burma, calling for Gambari to be allowed into the country.It is no coincidence that the announcement comes at a time when the regime is facing increasing economic sanctions following its brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in September last year. The USA, EU, Australia, and Canada have all announced new economic sanctions. Last week the USA introduced new sanctions targeting business cronies of the regime, and further sanctions are being considered by Congress. The EU is also considering strengthening sanctions when it renews the EU Common Position in April.The regime’s claims that it is committed to moving towards democracy run completely at odds with the facts on the ground. Since the September uprising they have continued to arrest activists. There are now more than 1,800 political prisoners, an increase of more than 700 from the year before. The regime is also stepping up its campaign of ethnic cleansing in Eastern Burma. The UN has condemned the regime for breaking the Geneva Convention by deliberately targeting civilians in Eastern Burma. More than half a million people are internally displaced after being forced to flee their homes.The Burma Campaign UK is also warning that the regime will do everything it can to fix the outcome of the referendum and elections. There are serious questions about its ability to hold a referendum in which all people can participate. There are no proper lists of potential voters in the country. The junta’s definition of a referendum could include forcing people to attend mass public rallies, and then to claim that as a mandate. In addition, political parties such as the National League for Democracy are not allowed to operate freely. It is also illegal to criticise the draft constitution, and to do so is punishable by up to 20 years in jail.“The regime lost the election in 1990, so just ignored the result,” said Mark Farmaner. “This time we can be sure every stage will be rigged to ensure military victory.”
The Burma Campaign UK is concerned not only about the fact that the process is designed to keep the generals in power, but also about the impact on ethnic people in Burma, and on ceasefire agreements with armed ethnic groups. Their aspirations are for a federal state that would provide a degree of autonomy from central government, and protect their culture and rights. There are no provisions for this in the constitution. This is not only a threat to ethnic people, but also threatens the stability of the country. There appears to be a real possibility that some ceasefire organisations could return to arms, or split, with factions once again taking up their guns. If this were to happen on a large scale, it would not only completely change the current political situation within the country, but also threaten a new human rights and humanitarian crisis, as the regime ruthlessly targets civilians in conflict areas.
“What the regime has announced has nothing to do with democracy,” said Mark Farmaner. “It is about preserving military rule and avoiding economic sanctions. The international community must not be fooled again. The United Nations Security Council must take action. In addition, the UK and EU must impose further targeted sanctions to help force the regime to the negotiating table.”
9 February, 2008 at 10:44 pm
The Myanmar violence is one of the major reasons i think a John McCain presidency is a must. I just wrote a piece on why the Senator must steer clear of Bush comparisons on my blog at
AmericaLives.wordpress.com
9 February, 2008 at 11:27 pm
So he can invade another Muslim country?
9 February, 2008 at 11:56 pm
McCain is an imperial warmonger, beloved by neocons. America is the pre-eminent Empire on earth, at present it has over 700 military bases in over 140 countries. It has used torture, assassinations and mass killing to achieve & maintain this power. McCain offers no difference to that imperialism, in fact none of the current leading candidates even broach the subject of America’s violent imperialism being as it is so intimately tied to its model of capitalism. That it opposes the Burmese junta is purely realpolitik based upon desire to contain China and sustain its access to the natural resources of Burma (Chevron are already involved, they are never mentioned in Bush’s sanctions). America often talks of democracy and self-determination but it only means within a narrow band of acceptable conservative pro-market models and conditional upon political alignment with the US. The most powerful force maintaining the junta is global trade and the US & EU will only do so much, they will not inconvenience their own trade (& trade with China) to help the Burmese despite many fine words. And I can’t see a Republican president putting ethical controls on capitalism to force the junta out, or to do it without expecting alignment and payback, the same is true of a military solution. In other words altruistic impulses of people to enable Burmese democratic self-determination are not reflected in our institutions and nations’ ruling classes. We have to force that upon them, it requires a level of unselfishness & empathy nowhere apparent in conservative or capitalist ideology.
10 February, 2008 at 5:34 am
John “Keating Five” is a crook, plain and simple. He belongs in a prison cell, not the White House.
As for the Burmese generals, they remind me of the Bush regime, lying and stealing elections.
10 February, 2008 at 11:24 am
If he belongs in a prison cell he would be well suited to the role of President. I was under the impression it was a pre-requisite for any White House inhabitant. Maybe Im just cynical though.
10 February, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Well empire’s are pretty well much criminal conspiracies so…
9 May, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Why is it that everyone who lives under a tyranny wants to live in the west? Yet everyone who who complains about the west is a westerner. Appeasers should learn the lessons of WW2. Again, after Hitler, the world said no more will we allow tyrants yet they flourish and prosper while their people suffer. Look at Burma now. Thieves, brutal and inhuman cockheads enjoying their little bit of psycho power and we worry about their sensitivities. Crap. Wake up world (UN) and tell ALL the bastards to bugger off and let the humans rule the people. Mugabe, Generals, and every other crackpot tyrant; your days are numbered. Decent people; STAND UP NOW!
9 May, 2008 at 9:01 pm
Hey Freddo, I would disagree that people want to live in the west, they do want to live with an honest government that is democratic and not either dictatorial or beholden to global capital. Unfortunately often when they do stand up the west helps to cut them down if the tyrants are aligned with our geopolitical interests (an awful lot of war criminals from WWII were recruited and served the allies afterwards sadly). So I agree decent people stand up, but that is needed in every nation to make our governments honest, ethical and democratic, in reality and not just in their spin and the complicit corporate media.
11 May, 2008 at 2:35 pm
i look at the “west” more as a descriptor for democracy, as flawed as it may be, that include all countries not only the US. Look at the exodus of people from the communist era. Where did they go? To the west, and we welcomed them with open arms! It even took America a while to see thru the hype of the need to go to war, but at least the people can say what is on their mind and voice it individually or collectively. Under tyranny or any repressive regime, that’s impossible.
All regimes such as those in the middle east and Africa that have come to power supposedly to save the people from one tyrant, invariably end up as one to cling to power. They impose another force that suppresses the people and have no freedoms in the media. Look at Iran, same shit different bucket.
Complicit media is a fact of life in countries that control the media. I haven’t seen North Korean, Burmese, Chinese, Iranian, Cuban and Zimbabwe’s media berate or criticise their beloved leaders, yet Bush is fair game in the US. Where is that complicity.
The west has an obligation to come to the aid of humanity but set the example of decency. Remove the despots however challenging that may be and if hurts a bit, call it tough love.
11 May, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Complicity in the “West” is more subtle. Just because Bush gets lambasted doesn’t mean that he doesn’t get a free pass when it came to the war (took the media to about 2005 to figure out something was rotten in the state of Denmark), domestic spying and a whole slew of issues.
Its pandering 5.3, more American Idol and Rev. Wright, less substance about issues and subjects. Games and Circuses, worked for the Romans, works for the “West”. And guess who benefits from all those dictatorships, and coups and who works hard to make sure that “their man” is in power?
14 May, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Good on the US and France for wanting to override the “sovereignty” of Burma and help the suffering of the Burmese. Considering that the generals are the illegitimate rulers of Burma the world should have no grounds to complain, but that wouldn’t stop the red raggers out there having a crack again at the US spinning the old bullshit about the naughty Yanks and Frogs being imperialist invaders etc, etc. The people having a crack at the west better get a grip on reality. The alternative is not what Joe public want. The pseudo intellectuals are full of the shit that they so vehemently spew out. No different to the likes of Manson, Jim Jones and any other crackpot standing on their little soap box. People are sick of the misery caused by fundamentalism of any religion because they seek to strip away the goodness of humanity and replace it with fear. The taliban are the best example of total control gone mad. F**k em all.
14 May, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Oh Freddo!