A group of pro-democracy parliamentarians from various Asian countries
have emphasized for a free and fair Burma elections duly monitored by
a team of impartial international observers and not 'under the
fraudulent Constitution of 2008'.
The group consisting parliamentarians from India, Nepal, Singapore,
England, Burma (Myanmar) and Tibet, was also unanimous that all
political prisoners must be released unconditionally and stop the
ongoing violent repression against ethnic groups and political
opponents of the military regime, before the proposed general
election in 2010.
In a Consultation meeting of Parliamentarians' Solidarity for the
Struggle of Democracy in Burma on November 27 in the Indian capital,
they also urged to pave way for enabling all stakeholders to
participate in planning for and setting the ground rules for the
forthcoming election.
Organised by the Indian Parliamentarian's Forum for Democracy in
Burma, the meeting in the resolutions say, “The Burmese military junta
is tearing the Burmese society asunder by promoting ethnic strife and
has launched a brutal offensive against various ethnic communities
under the guise of combating armed resistance groups which is
resulting in large scale human rights violation of the civilian
population.”
The group opined that 'the Constitution of 2008 under which the
military regime intends to hold the 2010 elections is a travesty of
democracy and will only reproduce a repressive regime'.
However, it added, 'the new found desire of the military regime to
seek legitimacy from the international community provides us a window
of opportunity to mount greater pressure on the dictatorial regime'
and hence they appealed ��� the International community to impose a
global arms embargo against the Burmese military regime and use all
possible influence on the Burmese military regime to free the
unquestioned leader of the Democracy Movement, Aung San Suu Kyi and
enter into a comprehensive dialogue with her as a first step towards
restoration of democracy in Burma'.
Commenting that 'thousands of political prisoners are still
languishing in Burmese jails without trial and many more thousands
have been done to death', the group specially urged New Delhi saying,
“India as a neighbor and the largest democracy should have a
comprehensive policy on Burma that strengthens the forces of democracy
in the country.”
The appeal from the group, which is endorsed by Charles Chong (MP and
Vice Chair, ASEAN Inter Parliamentary Mynamar Caucus, Singapore),
Chandrika Yadav (Chief Whip of MPRF, Nepal Parliament), Baroness
Barbara Cox (MP, British Parliament), Dr Tint Swe (MP-elect of NLD,
Burma and Information Minister, National Coalition Govt. of the Union
of Burma), Rev. Achariya (M.P. of Tibetan Parliament in Exile) with
Indian MPs D. Raja, Chandan Mitra, Brinda Karat, Sharad Joshi, Thomas
Sangma etc, concluded appealing New Delhi 'to join and actively engage
with ASEAN and UN in finding ways to urge Burmese SPDC leaders to pave
the way for genuine democracy in Burma'.
Development / Accra / Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com