Joint Statement on the SPDC’s Sham NationalConvention
Date:29-July-2007
We, at the 6-party alliance in exile strongly condemn the ongoing sham National Convention of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)of Burma.
The sham talks has already started on the 18th of July 2007, just a day before the National Martyrs Day in order to finalize new constitution that is totally against the will of the people. The regime is drafting the constitutionin the so-called National Convention that brought some 1,058 handpicked delegates from the military. They are not allowed to speak to journalists and the public. They cannot even leave the Nyaunghnapin military compound north of Rangoon, the place of sham talks.
“These unbalanced working procedures of the National Convention are not signs of a legitimate process”.
This is a process of total exclusion of the major democracy and ethnic groups. The military has been continuing crimes against humanity in the ethnic areas, particularly in Northern Arakan State and Eastern Karen State of Burma, predominantly the ethnic Rohingya and Karen areas. This isproof enough that the regime is not sincere about the genuine democratic reform.
The regime’s constitution is expected to be completed by this final session of the National Convention, is based on the regime’s “104 principles”. The provisions of the constitution already agreed by the ruling SPDC Militaryregime include reserving 25 percent of all future Parliamentary seats for serving military Generals. The constitution would also require that the President of the country “shall be a person who has been residing continuously in the country for at least 20 years” with “political, administrative, military and economic experience” and whose spouse,children and spouses of children are not citizens of another country. The President s
hould also have at least 15 years of military service. Theserequirements automatically disqualify Burma’s Pro- democracy leader and Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other eight pro-democracy parties including the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), an ethnic Rohingya representing organization won 90 per cent of the parliamentary seats in 1990s Multi-Party Democracy General Election.
hould also have at least 15 years of military service. Theserequirements automatically disqualify Burma’s Pro- democracy leader and Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other eight pro-democracy parties including the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (NDPHR), an ethnic Rohingya representing organization won 90 per cent of the parliamentary seats in 1990s Multi-Party Democracy General Election.If the regime wants to show its credibility and sincerity, the regime would take steps for a legitimate political road map through the inclusive,participatory and transparency, allowing all the relevant parties to Burma’s constitution drafting and national reconciliation process in order tocontribute their wills for the future of the country.
The regime must release Democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners including General U Tin Oo, U Khun Htun Oo, U Kyaw Min (aka) Shamsul Anwarul Houque, Journalist U Win Tin and etc.
Demand that the ongoing sham talks would stop nconditionally as it is against the will of the people’s elected epresentatives, while must hold a meaningful tripartite dialogue among the regime, NLD and other ethnic nationalities representatives.
Demand that the regime must stop human rights abuses in the country,particularly in the ethnic minorities’ areas like Rohingyas in Arakan State and Karen in Eastern part of Burma.
This alliance is comprising of National Democratic Party for Human Rights (exile - HQ), USA, World Rohingya Congress (WRC), USA, Arakan Rohingya Organization - Japan (JARO), Rohingya Youth Development Forum (RYDF), Arakan-Burma, Burmese Rohingya Association in United Arab Emirates (BRA-UAE) and the National Council of Rohingya in Malaysia (NCR) and dedicated to advocate the causes of the people of Arakan, Burma particularly, the Rohingyas and other ethnic minorities.
Signed by:
1 - Salim Ullah (JARO)
2 - Maung Sein (NDPHR-exile) USA (HQ)
3 - Dr. Zaw Myint Thein (WRC)
4 - Dr. Than Aung (BRA-UAE)
5 - Mohammed Sadek (RYDF)
6 - Ghiyathudeen (NCR)
For media Contact, please contact at:
Ko Salim Ullah (Japan): +81-276-73-8079
Ko Kyaw Soe Aung (USA) + 414 -736- 4273
Ko Mohammed Sadek (Malaysia) + 6(0) 163094599
