Burmese in India demonstrates anger against junta

The pro-democracy Burmese exile in India held a demonstration against

the flawed election proposed by the military rulers of Burma and a

symbolic people's election in New Delhi on May 27. Hundreds of Burmese

gathered at Jantar Mantar in Indian capital and organized a rally.

Later a memorandum was also sent to the Indian Union government by the

demonstrators with various appeals.
The programme was a part of Global Day of Action under the Global

Campaign Against Burma's 2010 Military Election. The campaign,

initiated by Ten Alliances of Burma's democracy and ethnic rights

movement representing the broad-based and multi-ethnic cooperation of

political and civil society organizations from inside and outside

Burma, has been supported by over 150 organizations around the world.

In fact, starting from May 22 till date, over 3,600 members of the

Burmese community living in exile had signed postcards and that way

voted in favour of the pro-democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and a

Democratic Federal Union of Burma. The signed postcards even call on

the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to denounce the upcoming

2010 elections in Burma and reject the results unless the Burmese

regime changes the repressive actions.
“It is already clear that the military's elections this year will not

be a step forward that Burma needs. The National League for Democracy

and many ethnic groups have already decided that they cannot

participate in such sham elections. Indian government should stand

with them and the people of Burma in demanding genuine democratic

elections, rather than supporting the military's sham elections,” said

Dr. Tint Swe, MP elect in 1990 elections from the Suu Kyi's party NLD

(now deregistered).
The NLD and other democratic parties of Burma established a landslide

victory in its general elections on May 27, 1990. But the junta did

not recognize the outcome of the polls and hence did not hand over

power. Rather, the group of generals imprisoned many opposition

political leaders and many elected representatives left the country to

take refugee in foreign nations.
The military rulers of Burma has once again declared about a general

election sometime later this year. But the electoral laws released

prior to the exercise indicted that the junta was still uncomfortable

with Ms Suu Kyi. Over two thousand political activists are still

behind bar in Burma and they would never be allowed to take part in

the election.
On May 27, the Burmese around the world had demonstrated their

resentment against the imposed military election in Burma. The exile

Burmese groups hold public rally and protest meetings in front of

Burmese Embassy, UN Building and other public places on the day to

draw the attention of the international community.
“We, the exile Burmese in India or anywhere in the globe are actually

calling on international governments to denounce the proposed Burma

election and reject the results under this situation. The Chinese and

Indian governments with the member-countries under the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations are being urged primarily as those nations

have maximum influences on the junta,” informed Pu Kim, a Burmese

political activist based in New Delhi.
Mentionable that Global Day of Action for Burma was an initiative by

Burma Campaign UK with the support from US Campaign for Burma, Amnesty

International, Avaaz.org and also Buddhist monks from different parts

of the globe during the 2007 anti junta protest in Burma which was

simultaneously organized in over 100 cities of 30 countries.

The peaceful protests were aimed to make public awareness regarding

the plight of Burmese people including the monks, and finally

international community to raise voice against the military junta.

“After almost five decades of military rule, the people of Burma want

real, democratic, people's elections. It is now clear, however, that

the military regime's first elections in twenty years will be nothing

but a thinly veiled attempt to legitimize military rule,” stated in a

release from Burma Partnership, the campaign secretariat of Global

Campaign Against Burma's 2010 Military Election.