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Burmese Organizations Issue Stateme



------------------------------------------------------
JOINT  STATEMENT  ON  THE  FIFTH  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE
MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRATIC GENERAL ELECTION IN BURMA
------------------------------------------------------

MAY 27, 1995)

The Anniversary 
---------------

Today is the fifth anniversary of the multi-party democratic 
general election held on May 27, 1990 -- a day which will be 
remembered by every Burmese citizen and one that remains 
etched in the annals of the movement for democracy and human 
rights in present day Burma.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the occasion on which the 
people of all nationalities in Burma clearly and strongly 
showed to the world that they no longer accept a single-
party, fascist dictatorship and that they want democracy.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the first multi-party 
democratic general election ever held in 30 years in Burma -
- a country where people until today continued to be 
deprived of democratic freedoms and human rights.

Today is also the fifth anniversary of the 1990 multi-party 
democratic general election which is the most significant 
consequence of the democratic uprising of August 8, 1988 
(8/8/88)initiated by the students and youths and 
participated by the people of all nationalities from all 
strata.

Viewed in another light, today is the fifth anniversary of 
the day the people were able to publicly expose the true 
features of the fascist SLORC dictators who, after declaring 
that the 1990 election they themselves had held were free 
and fair, are refusing to acknowledge the election results.  
Today, they flagrantly cling on to the state power that 
rightfully belongs to the people and are refusing to 
transfer that power to the representatives elected by the 
people in a democratic way.

We the undersigned--the National Coalition Government of the 
Union of Burma, and all the other democratic, human rights, 
and peace organizations--strongly condemn the fascist SLORC 
dictators and all others who are directly or indirectly 
helping perpetuate the military junta which continues to 
violate all the underlying principles of democratic 
freedoms, human dignity and human rights and ignore the 
criticism and condemnation of the international community.

Problems and Solution
---------------------

We firmly believe that the prevailing problems in Burma 
today -- violation of human rights, the lack of equality and 
fundamental rights for ethnic nationalities, trafficking of 
narcotic drugs, hardships in food, clothing and shelter for 
the majority of the people, the corruption of the civil 
service personnel, spiralling prices of commodities, the 
soaring inflation, the exodus of Burmese refugees to 
neighboring countries, the prostitution of Burmese women and 
the depletion of natural resources -- are all mere 
consequences of the root cause -- the fascist SLORC military 
dictators, who are inept, reactionary as well as foolhardy.

We strongly remind the fascist SLORC dictators that their 
penchant to resolve the multifarious problems of Burma 
through brute military force will not work, and with the 
interest of the nation in mind, they should immediately seek 
a political solution in a peaceful manner through 
UN-sponsored tripartite talks with the democratic forces 
headed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the representatives of 
the nationality groups.

We also firmly believe that an atmosphere that is conducive 
to peace should be in place if a politically profound and 
meaningful dialogue is to take place. This can be achieved 
by:
	(a) Unconditionally releasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and 
all other political prisoners,

	(b)  Making available to every citizen, the 
fundamentals of democracy such as freedom of expression, 
freedom to assemble, freedom of the press, etc, and

	(c)  Creating conditions that permit a free exchange of 
views and ideas between different nationality groups, and 
between organizations and parties.

Development
-----------

We believe that the yardstick for development in a country 
is by the presence of a uniform development in that country 
of (a) democratic values and human rights, (b) genuine 
empowerment of the people, and (c) the economy.  Of the 
three developments, we believe that the first development is 
the most fundamental because without democratic values and 
human rights in a country, there cannot be any genuine 
empowerment of the people nor can there be any sustained 
economic development. Lack of democratic values and human 
rights can only serve to prolong the power of an oppressive 
ruling clique or class. As national leader Daw Aung San Suu 
Kyi said, "..People's participation in social and political 
transformation is the central issue of our time. This can 
only be achieved  through the establishment of societies 
which place human worth above power, and liberation above 
control. In this paradigm, development requires democracy, 
the genuine empowerment of the people."


Conclusion
----------

Those who genuinely wish to see a developed Burma should 
assist the movement for democracy and human rights in Burma.  
We therefore call on the United Nations and governments, 
particularly those of neighboring countries to Burma, to 
help the Burmese people toward achieving the goals they have 
envisioned.

On behalf of the people of Burma, we also call on the United 
Nations and all the governments to join in an effort to 
impose economic, political and diplomatic sanctions against 
the SLORC regime until it is ready to sincerely enter into a 
meaningful dialogue to find a political solution.

We believe that it is the national duty of every citizen of 
Burma to work toward the establishment of a new, peaceful 
and prosperous democratic Burma where fundamental rights of 
every citizen, regardless of race, creed or religion, are 
guaranteed.

This being our firm conviction, we call on all the people of 
Burma, including the military personnel who truly love the 
country, and particularly the representatives who were 
elected by the people in the 1990 multi-party democratic 
general election, to bring an end to the military 

dictatorship through their courageous struggle and by 
heeding the call of our national leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 
to "defy as a duty all orders and commands that are 
unethical and unjust."

--------------------------------------------------------------
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
Asian American Civic Alliance (Florida) (AACA)
All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)
Burma Democratic Council (International)(BDC)
Committee for the Restoration of Democracy in Burma (CRDB)
Democratic Burmese Students Organization (USA)(DBSO)
Foundation for Democracy in Burma (FDB)
Federation of Trade Unions of Burma FTUB)
Laimi Association (LA)
Overseas Lahu Development Organization (OLDO)
Shan State Association (USA) (SSA)
United Front for Human Rights and Democracy in Burma(UFHRDB)

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