UNLD Calls for Referendum Boycott

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Thursday, May 1, 2008

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While many political campaigners in Burma are calling for a “No” vote in the forthcoming referendum, the United Nationalities League for Democracy (UNLD) is calling for a complete boycott of the polls on May 10.

A hawker sells copies of countries new constitution at an intersection in Burma's biggest city Rangoon. (Photo: AFP)

Leaders of the UNLD, a Rangoon-based umbrella organization of political parties representing ethnic minority peoples, said that casting a vote in the constitutional referendum is a form of following the regime's orders and supporting their "Seven-step road map" to democracy.

Speaking with The Irrawaddy on Thursday, Thawng Kho Thang, a senior member of the UNLD and the Committee Representing People’s Parliament (CRPP), said: “As we never supported the ‘Seven-step road map,’ why should we go and vote? If we cast a vote, it means we support Step Four of the road map. So, we won’t go and cast a vote in the referendum.”

The national referendum is the fourth step on the junta’s so-called “Seven-step road map” toward democracy in Burma. The junta has also announced the fifth step of the road map—multi-party elections in 2010.

Thawng Kho Thang said that no leader or member of the UNLD will cast a vote in the national referendum. The group called for a boycott of the referendum on May 10 and urged Burmese citizens to join the boycott.

Senior leaders of the UNLD also include: Aye Tha Aung, the chairman of the Arakan League for Democracy and the secretary of the CRPP; Thar Ban of the Arakan League for Democracy; and veteran politician Aung Tin Oo.

Thawng Kho Thang said that even if a majority of Burmese citizens vote “No” in the referendum, the junta will try to legitimize the draft constitution somehow.

The UNLD leader also said that the military regime was holding the national referendum too early after releasing the draft of the constitution, which gave voters insufficient time to read the 194-page document. He said many citizens were unclear about the new constitution and didn’t know whether to support it or oppose it.

"The junta should allow another two years for people to study the constitution,” he added. “If possible, they should translate the draft constitution into ethnic languages, because some ethnic minority people can’t read Burmese."

Thawng Kho Thang predicted that the majority of Burmese citizens would vote “Yes” in the referendum out of fear of repercussions from the security forces.

He also criticized the National League for Democracy, saying that the opposition party did not launch its “Vote No” campaign widely enough in Burma nor seek to educate people about the junta's constitution.

UNLD senior member Aye Thar Aung also confirmed that he would not participate in the May 10 referendum. He said that to solve the conflict in Burma, the military regime should create a genuine dialogue with the opposition parties—not hold a constitutional referendum.

The UNLD leaders condemned the draft constitution as a one-sided document written by the military generals alone, which lacked the suggestions of the 1990 elected members of the CRPP.

Meanwhile, Rangoon-based veteran politician Amyotheryei Win Naing suggested that Burmese citizens should seriously consider casting a vote on May 10 based on two points.

He said that if 32 million people are eligible to vote in the referendum, then a turnout of 16 million plus one person would legitimize the referendum.

If half of the participants, 8 million plus one person, vote “Yes,” the draft constitution would be legitimized, he said.

“If people don’t vote, the junta cannot legitimize the draft constitution,” Amyotheryei Win Naing said in a letter received by The Irrawaddy on Thursday.