Civil Society for Burma

The injustice and broken laws of the election committed by the regimes-sponsored political party USDP and the one sided bias toward USDP practiced by the authorities will create an outrage among the citizens. This will take event from regional and sporadic demonstrations to a nationwide uprising in the near future. The gross violations of election laws by the USDP and the illegal pre-vote casting favors USDP to win in the election.  Obviously, Burma’s election in 2010 is a sham.

The real change will take effect after the election. A kind of human outrage which once Burmese seem in 1988 will come as a storm and wipe out all the elements that created the down fall of Burma and it’s once the proud people.

The Burmese military regime lost the election in 1990, which was won by the opposition political party National League for Democracy (NLD) by 82% of the parliamentary seats but the regime refused to hand over political power.  After 20 years the regime planned another election on November 7, 2010 by using all kinds of restrictions against its main opponent the NLD party. This action forced NLD to boycott the election.  Not only did the NLD refuse to contend in the election but was also rejected by the winners of main ethnic political parties in the 1990.  United Nations, ASEAN, EU and the US pressured the regime to release more than 2000 political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi but no one else was released.  As a result, 2010 election lost its credibility.

The 2010 election will not form the emergence of a legitimate government. It will produce strife between the old Turks (former BSPP members) and the new (former SPDC members) as both parties have military backgrounds.  The regime is looking to gain legitimacy from foreign countries though it made the election under an undemocratic constitution.

There is no doubt that China, which lend three billions dollars to the regime before the election to show its support, will recognize the new government under its repeated motto: “Stability is crucial for the country’s development and that is the reason we support it”.  ASEAN nations will accept the election results without complaint as the internal affairs; India and Russia too will follow the same step.

But the USA, Canada, Australia, and EU are now speaking out loud about the un-free and unfair election in Burma.  However they will not out right reject the election results.  United Nations also repeated its un-effective words, which the regime never cares about. None of their demands of freeing Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners became reality.

Gradually Burmese people have come to known and seen the reality that they have to stand up and fight for. Their rights are not waiting for them.

On the other hand, the political parties that have claimed themselves as democratic forces have to form a coalition. This includes the NUP to put in its fold as a partner against USDP and speak out who violated the election law in which constituency by giving with proved documents such as first hand witness, photos, video recording and tape recording. Then we will see the tolerance level of the Thein Sein Regime.  How will the so-called Prime Minister Thein Sein handle the situation? Will he be ignoring the complaints or disqualifying his party candidates who violated the election laws? How much does he respect the law that he and his group created for the election? How could the political parties respond if Thein Sein ignore their complaint and refuse to disqualify his party candidates?

Burmese people who would like to see democratic change living abroad are doing their best against the sham election around the world by protesting in front of the Burmese embassies in their respected countries. The burnings of the new Burmese flags and complete disapproval of the new constitution is an example of their rage for the regime.  However their actions including pressure from democratic countries like USA and European countries will only give pressure and not the actual change that Burmese people are looking for.

The main force of the movement is from the inside. The NLD alone cannot stand for change but if NLD and democratic forces find a common ground to work together as team to fight against the coming SPDC/USDP regime, they can save the country in a short period of time. There is no time to blame each other.  Some will fight from the inside and some will fight from outside.  A grand strategy is needed for change in Burma.  The Burmese opposition needs to have broad minds and not hate each other about the past but rather look for a bright future by compromising with each other.  We have to compromise with each other to form a united front because without it, it will take another 20 years plus to set up a democratic government.

Burma is ripe for change. It depends on you.