Referendum: Seeking Legitimacy for Military Rule in Burma

Statement of Canadian Friends of Burma

February 10, 2008, Ottawa - The Burmese military regime announced yesterday that they would hold a referendum within two months on a constitution that they drafted since 1993. This latest development seems to be a conciliatory gesture to counter increasing international pressures. However, the Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) could not see it as a positive step but a trigger of wider political turmoil in the country.

“There is nothing to be excited about this announcement and people would be even shocked if they put a little effort to look at the whole process,” said Tin Maung Htoo, executive director of Canadian Friends of Burma. “This is the process with which to legitimate the military rule in Burma,” he exclaimed. “

According to the draft constitution, a quarter of parliamentary seats and key cabinet portfolios including Defence and Home Affairs will be directly appointed by the Commander-in-Chief. Those unelected military appointees sitting together with elected members will also choose their own presidential candidate who will become either president or vice-president of the country. The most powerful ‘Security Council’ or Supreme Body will be also dominated by the military.

“This is totally against democratic principles. This is awful example of ‘disciplined democracy’ that the Burmese military wants to flourish in Burma. International community should be vigilant, as the military is pretty much determined to win or rob this legitimacy. People could be forced or coerced to support this authoritarian constitution. What Burmese want is democracy that guarantees their rights and freedoms, and the kind of government they want and they can choose,” added Tin Maung Htoo.

A number of ceased-fire groups including New Mon State Party (NMSP) and Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) do not support the constitution drafting process and the main political party that won a landslide in 1990 elections – National League for Democracy (NLD) - boycotted this process since 1996. However, the military regime continued to draft the constitution, with a directive that ‘the military must play a leading role in the national politics of the future state.’

This Saturday announcement for a referendum in May, 2008 is nothing but a desperate attempt to seek legitimacy for the military rule that is to be guaranteed by the constitution. Therefore, the Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) urges the International community, the Government of Canada and all Canadians to speak out against this shame and undemocratic process in Burma.

Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB)