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DECLARATION OF ABSDO



OUR  DECLARATION  FOR  PROMULGATION  OF  A  DEMOCRATIC  CONSTITUTION
IN  BURMA


The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) of Burma has
publicised a directive designated as (13/92) on October 2,1992, and
embarked on a course of action to convene a gathering dubbed 'The
National Convention' with an aim to promulgate a 'constitution'.

The SLORC has used strong-arm tactics in the said convention with the
motive of perpetual subjugation of Burma. An explosive constitutional
crisis has been engineered in place with an avenue for the armed forces
to intervene in the politics of the country.

As in such a scenario, we would sincerely like to present our view on
the promulgation of a democratic constitution for the future of our
country based on the experiences of the past nine years.

The Right to Promulgate the Constitution

The SLORC has ignored the will of the people as shown in the polls under

its auspices in May 1990. The elected people's representatives of the
winning party, the National League for Democracy led by Do Aung San Suu
Kyi (1991 Nobel peace Laureate) have the right and responsibility of
creating the democratic constitution for future Burma.


The State of the Country and the Obligation of the Citizenry

The civil war in the country is still raging since the declaration of
the country's
Independence a culmination stemmed from the controversial constitution.
The solution to this problem plays a vital role in the promulgation of a

democratic constitution.  Burma's patriots and political aspirants have
the obligation to decide and undertake their respective roles, taking
due consideration and into account the bitter rigours and traumas of the

civil war itself.

The Civil War

Today, Burma has adequately endured the stresses and pains of the
bitterness and trauma of the civil war, irrespective of ethnic or
political reasons given. The controversial constitution and the
embryonic state of democracy then in Burma after the independence, has
largely offered an unobstructed avenue for the armed forces to dictate
and dabble in the country' politics. Hence, Burma came under the mercy
of the manipulative power of the armed affiliations and its fate
subjected to superiority on armed might, as a result of the civil war.

Military Dictatorships

Military dictatorships will exist as long as they are given an
opportunity to hold monopoly on the use of arms to solve the issues.
Controversies in the constitution fan the civil war blaze which erupted
in the emergence of the privileged military dictatorships, which
monopolise the arms and use the hardware as force in the issues, citing
the stability of the union as the cause.

The SLORC military dictatorship is one of the primary culprits in
ridding Burma?s politics with the scars of the civil war and it is in
constant vigilance to escalate the civil war for power.

SLORC's Antics

The SLORC is bent on solving Burma's political issues by armed might, as

befitting a military dictatorship clique, rather than via a constructive

dialogue.

1. It has denied all offers of negotiating in solving Burma's political
woes politically.
2. It has entered into cease- fires with armed ethnic minorities- only a

ploy- to create an armed-alert peace hiatus, in its favour.
3. Using force, the SLORC is promulgating a constitution with an aim to
establish an idiosyncrasy Parliamentary Militarism.

The Will of Burma's Citizenry

The most violent eruptions to dislodge the military dictatorship and
show of pro-democracy aspirations occurred in 1988, which were reflected

again in the constitution promulgation headed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Despite being burdened and pressured by the survival and facts of life
under the military, the people' desires to dislodge the military
dictatorship are ever ingrained in their heart and always at a readiness

to follow a genuine cause and viable leadership.

Internal Democratic Forces Led By Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

1. The National League for Democracy Party led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
has opposed and boycotted the SLORC manipulated and unnatural
constitution promulgating National Convention.
2. NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has called for a convention in the
vein of a parliament,  participated by the elected representatives that
will lead to the promulgation of a constitution, to address Burma's
issues in a natural and realistic light.
3. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led NLD has lectured and distributed the
essential of democracy in the midst of the people to enhance their
democratic awareness and general knowledge and led the people on the
road to civil disobedience, in the face of unjust laws and decrees.

The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) and the
Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB)

The view of the majority of the ethnic minorities, before and after
entering into the SLORC's armed-alert peace hiatus sham cease-fires, is
on par with the SLORC- promulgation of a constitution for
self-determination only.

1. The Constitutional Seminar was held in Manerplaw on October 12-20,
1995.
2. The National League for Democracy (Liberated Area), NCGUB, DAB and
NDF have put their signatures in consensus at Manerplaw to the basic
principles to be included in promulgating a constitution in future.

In the pact, there is no mention of specific number of territories in
the union and the structure, but there is definite mention of a
resolution to establish armed contingents in all respective states and
territories in the union.


OUR VIEW

We earnestly profess the view that it is essential to put in place a
democratic constitution in our future Burma, as per our experiences of
the past 9 years, that we have strived unceasingly for Burma's democracy

and human right. We firmly believe that, this democratic constitution is

the only answer to the above mentioned traumas of the civil war in
Burma, the stability of the union and the drive to oblivion of the
military dictatorship in Burma.

The National Convention - SLORC's constitution promulgating body - is
the military dictatorship's principal tool for fathomless perpetual
dictatorial hold on Burma. The publication of the decree dubbed " the
law to protect opposition and successful convening of the National
Convention " a directive numbered (5/95) testified to SLORC's apparent
intention to use force to achieve its objectives.

In section (2) Clause (C) and (D) warning to refrain from criticising
the National Convention held by SLORC and mentioning of its sole right
to convene the gathering, bared its egoistic attitude. In other words,
it ushers in the introduction of the armed forces' monopoly on Burma' s
political landscape and the military's peremptory rule.

As such,

1.  We profess the NLD boycott of SLORC's constitutional convention as
the will of the entire populace of Burma.
2.  We fully support the right of the elected representatives of the
people, to promulgate the democratic constitution of future Burma.
3.  We earnestly urge the democratic affiliations, inside and overseas,
and all democracies world - wide to welcome, cooperate and collude in
the endeavours led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in a bid to promulgate a
democratic constitution, as a historical obligation for freedom and
democracy.


Demise of military dictatorship in Burma is ......... PRIMARY

Democratic cause in Burma is ............................... VITAL

Democratic constitution in Burma is ................... FUNDAMENTAL



Central  Executive  Committee
All  Burma  Students'  Democratic  Organisation  (ABSDO)
Australia.

Date.  August  1 ,  1997 .