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Burma's deferred democracy (repeat? (r)



/* Written  4:10 am  May 23, 1994 by tun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:soc.cult.burma */
/* ---------- "Burma's deferred democracy (repeat?" ---------- */
Date: Wed, 18 May 1994 10:21:00 CET
Reply-To: DEBRA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: BURMA'S DEFERRED DEMOCRACY
Organization: Human Rights Network - HRNet


## Original in: /HRNET/ASIA&PACIFIC
-------------------------------------------------------------------

DATE=        MAY 17, 1994
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-05890
TITLE=       BURMA'S DEFERRED DEMOCRACY

ANNCR:
    NEXT, AN EDITORIAL REFLECTING THE VIEWS OF THE U.S.
    GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    THIS MONTH MARKS THE FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF DEMOCRATIC
    ELECTIONS IN BURMA -- ELECTIONS THAT THE MILITARY REGIME
    REFUSED TO ACCEPT.

    BURMA'S MILITARY LEADERS SEIZED POWER IN SEPTEMBER 1988,
    FOLLOWING A POPULAR UPRISING THAT ENDED THE LONG MISRULE
    OF THE BURMA SOCIALIST PROGRAM PARTY UNDER NE WIN.
    BURMESE TROOPS BRUTALLY SUPPRESSED PRO-DEMOCRACY
    DEMONSTRATIONS AND PLACED IN POWER OFFICERS SUBSERVIENT
    TO NE WIN AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE PREVIOUS REGIME.
    THESE MEN FORM THE CURRENT NINETEEN-MEMBER JUNTA THAT
    CALLS ITSELF THE STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION
    COUNCIL.

    THE COUNCIL PROMISED MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS FOR MAY 1990.
    THE BURMESE PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS RARE
    OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEIR WISHES KNOWN.  DESPITE SEVERE
    HARASSMENT OF OPPOSITION PARTIES BY THE REGIME, THE
    PEOPLE OF BURMA VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO REPLACE THE
    MILITARY JUNTA WITH A PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY. THE
    NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY WON NEARLY SIXTY PERCENT
    OF THE VALID VOTES CAST AND OVER EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE
    PARLIAMENTARY SEATS. BUT FAR FROM ACCEPTING THE DECISION
    OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE AND TRANSFERRING POWER TO A
    DEMOCRATIC CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT, THE GENERALS IN RANGOON
    INCREASED THEIR REPRESSION.  HUNDREDS OF PRO-DEMOCRACY
    ACTIVISTS WERE ARRESTED, INCLUDING MANY MEMBERS OF
    PARLIAMENT.  THOUGH SOME HAVE BEEN RELEASED, OTHERS
    REMAIN IN DETENTION -- MOST NOTABLY NOBEL PEACE
    PRIZE-WINNER AUNG SAN SUU KYI.

    SINCE THE ELECTIONS OF MAY 1990, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
    OF CITIZENS HAVE BEEN FORCIBLY DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES
    BY THE BURMESE MILITARY AND RESETTLED IN REMOTE RURAL
    AREAS, OFTEN LACKING BASIC NECESSITIES.  ETHNIC
    MINORITIES HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT BY THE MILITARY FOR
    RAPE, TORTURE, DEPORTATION, FORCED LABOR, AND SUMMARY
    EXECUTION.  BASIC CIVIL LIBERTIES HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED
    THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.  BURMESE AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO
    HOLD POLITICAL PRISONERS UNDER HARSH CONDITIONS AND
    REFUSE TO COOPERATE WITH HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS SUCH
    AS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS. THE
    BAYONETS OF THE BURMESE MILITARY HAVE PROVEN A POOR
    SUBSTITUTE FOR THE BALLOTS CAST BY THE BURMESE PEOPLE.
    THE UNITED STATES CALLS ON BURMA'S MILITARY LEADERS TO
    RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS AND PERMIT THE BURMESE
    PEOPLE TO ESTABLISH THE GOVERNMENT THEY ELECTED FOUR
    LONG YEARS AGO.

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL REFLECTING THE VIEWS OF THE U.S.
    GOVERNMENT.

16-May-94 3:59 PM EDT (1959 UTC) NNNN