National Reconciliation, Shwe-Gone-Daing Declaration

& 1990/2010
In 1988, Burmese students led the mass uprising and eventually
managed to topple the one party rule led by General Ne Win. The
students and the public sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the whole
country--50 millions Burmese people; Kachin, Kayar, Karan, Chin, Mon,
Bamar, Arakan & Shan.

Another military came to power after gunned down more than 3000
peaceful demonstrators. Due to the increase domestic and international
pressure, junta promised to hold the election in May 1990.

National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi,
daughter of the Burma’s independence architect Gen. Aung San - won a
landslide victory.

Graphic designed by Ko
Myoe
The ruling junta refused to hand over power and instead put Aung San
Suu Kyi under house arrest and imprisoned thousands of democracy
activists.

Aung San Suu Kyi officially once said that “That the results of
the 1990 General Elections must be implemented is a
resolution already taken by the United Nations. We already
know that the General Assembly of the United Nations has
accepted the notion that the will of the people has been
expressed in the 1990 General Elections. This is something we
cannot abandon. It will be to the detriment of our country if
after an election has been held the results are not honoured
and we do not resist attempts to trivialise it”.

During their reign of terror, people of Burma are suffering tremendously.

Junta never hesitate to use brutal force to quell anyone who opposes
their illegitimate rule.

In 1993, junta held their so-called National Convention attended by their

hand-picked delegations. Junta draft the sham constitution which
legitimise military rule in Burma for 14 years long.

In 1996 students' demonstrations were broke out demanding for the

change. Junta harshly crack down by beating, torturing and imprisoning
student leaders.

The Burmese students’ flag

Aung San Suu Kyi reaffirmed again the importance of
implementing 1990 election result and the necessary
practical action taken by international community by saying
"Since 1992, the United Nations General Assembly has been
passing resolutions on the human rights situation in Burma.
But resolutions are not enough. Resolutions should be
implemented. We think it is time that the international
community took a greater interest in getting the terms of the
resolutions implemented".

In 2003, junta ambushed the Aung San Suu Kyi’s motorcade attempting
to assassinate Aung San Suu Kyi in Depaeyin, upper Burma resulting in
hundreds of her supporters were cruelly beaten to death.

Until today, the state sponsor culprits who murdered Aung San Suu Kyi’s
supporters are still at large. Junta took no action against them and
instead put Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest again.

In 2007 Buddhist monks led the tens of thousands of people on the

street demanding for change in Burma.
Military responded by shooting, beating, arresting and killing the saffron
robed monks and peaceful demonstrators. During the saffron revolution,
more than 200 lives were lost and hundreds were missing.

In 2008 May, the Cyclone Nargis struck Burma which left more than
250, 000 died leaving 2.5 million homeless. Instead of helping
unfortunate victims of Cyclone, junta prioritise to adopt its sham
constitution through sham referendum. Junta even blocked to give
humanitarian assistance to victims which outraged international
community some calling for R2P.

Aung San Suu Kyi once said that “It is even appropriate or
justified for the international community carries out the
responsibility to intervene in the internal affairs of another
country whose power are creating hell for the population.
The international community as a whole should recognise
that it has got responsibilities. It can’t ignore grave injustices
that are going on within the borders of any particular
country.”

In May 2009, junta plot the ploy to imprison Aung San Suu Kyi since her
6 years under house arrest was expire. International Community called
for military regime to release Aung San Suu Kyi.

But junta ignores their pleas by passing down Aung San Suu Kyi to 18
months under house arrest again. This is the junta’s cunning act which is
tantamount to turning their back on dialogue and ultimately national
reconciliation.

International Community must take collective coordinated action

through United Nations Security Council to push junta to do dialogue
with Aung San Suu Kyi in order to take place national reconciliation.

There is now greater recognition among world leaders that more must be
done to increase pressure on junta at one hand and at the other hand,
engagement should be maintained on sides, opposition and junta.

But there is little sign yet of a consensus on how these aims should be
achieved.
 NLD Flag

Aung San Suu Kyi and her party the National League for
Democracy (NLD), the unanimous victors of the 1990
election, clearly stated their position in “Shwe-Gone-
Daing” declaration that need to place in order to have true
national reconciliation, i.e. to

1. Release all the political prisoners

2. Review 2008 Constitution

3. Allow to reopen NLD and ethnic nationalities offices

4. Recognise 1990 election result

5. Take place political dialogue

The junta’s planned 2010 election is only a charade designed to

legitimise the military dictatorship within Burma. The International
Community should be aware of the hopelessly irreconcilable contents of
the constitution that was adopted in 2008.

The referendum was ushered into existence under questionable

conditions including extortion and rigged ballots.

Giving the military junta 25% of the parliamentary seats, unbridled

authoritarian control and a self serving amnesty for the crimes against
humanity were truly not the will of the Burmese people.

Legitimizing the criminal regime was also not the will of the people and
this is incomprehensible and totally unacceptable to the Burmese people.
International community must pull itself not to be threading
into junta’s game plan of 2010 election which we don’t need
since the pending 1990 elections result is yet to be honoured.
Implementing these fundamental demands requested by
legitimate leaders of Burma is a MUST before playing into
the junta’s illegal 2010 election.

It should not be forgotten that in spite of promises made by the military

junta in the 1990 which they sponsored they did not relinquish power
when they lost the election.

Now to insure they will not lose the 2010 election they have intensified
the arrests of democratic proponents and concocted charges against
Aung San Suu Kyi to eliminate her influence in this sham election.

Concerns are being raised that even if the NLD were win the
2010 elections are we to assume that junta will relinquish
power? Or will this be a repeat of the disaster that occurred
in 1990? And if the junta does not accept the election results
what, if any, recourse will International Community take?
In light of the harsh realities of the past we cannot automatically
assuming that junta will quietly hand over power to the NLD if they win
the next election. Though this would be most welcome it would be more
like day dreaming in reality.

NLD also declared its road map (Shwe-Gone-Daing

Declaration), striving to have progressive dialogue, and
established a protocol for the 2010 election.

If the military junta doesn’t agree to the NLD’s counter proposals

intensifies its harassment and arrests of its membership then declares
the organization illegal what will the UN, EU, and International
Community do?

For more information please visit Burma Democratic Concern

(BDC) at

1. http://www.bdcburma.org

2. http://www.bdcburma.wordpress.com

3. http://bdc-burma.blogspot.com/

4. http://www.gcast.com/u/bdcburma/main

5. http://www.youtube.com/user/bdcburma

6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdcburma/