ANTI-DICTATORSHIP, PEOPLE’S FREEDOM

MOVEMENT IN BURMA

21st Anniversary of the National League for Democracy Party’s

Victory Day

Today marks the 21st anniversary of the National League for Democracy NLD
Party’s victory over general elections in Burma. The general elections were held in
Burma on May 27, 1990, as the first multi-party elections since 1960, after which
the country had been ruled by a military dictatorship. The people of Burma had
overwhelmingly voted for NLD, hoping the “change” would eventually come out of
it. As a result, the elections were won immensely by NLD under the leadership of
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gaining 392 of the 492 seats. The voter turnout was
72.6%. However, the military junta refused to transfer the power, and has since
ruled the country as the State Peace and Development Council up until the
2010s “sham elections” were in place.

Than Shwe junta’s military dominant rule in Burma was artfully crafted in the 2008
constitution that was rejected by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD knowing there
would be no way possible to create a democratic rule in Burma accordingly.
Regardless of the international criticisms for the lack of inclusiveness, Than Shwe
junta had held the 2010’s sham elections without the participations of NLD, the
ethnic minority groups and more than 2000 political prisoners, and formed a new
government with the ex-military leaders and their cronies at its own will. In
addition, the NLD party, the unanimous winner of the 1990’s elections, was
disbanded by the election committee formed by Than Shwe’s henchmen. The
illusion - Thein Sein’s new government might do something good for the people – is
just another sugarcoated pill for the people created by Than Shwe in order to
maintain the status quo, lest not forget. In reality, the ongoing civil-wars against the
ethnic minorities, the economic downturns causing poverty and famines and the
social injustices still exist in Burma, and will continue for decades to come under
the 2008 constitution and its government system no doubt.

The NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have remained in the hearts and minds of the
whole nation nonetheless. Since the day of Daw Suu’s release, the people’s spirit
and awareness in Burma’s politic were risen up day by day. Daw Suu’s creations of
civil society and social networks assisting the people in their daily lives have been
developed all over the country by the active participation and cooperation of the
volunteers, professionals and organizations nowadays. Thus, the people within
“civil society” would sooner challenge the atrocities and social injustices that they
have been suffering for too long. Indeed, NLD will survive on its own no matter
what.

Due to the hardships of all aspects the people are facing under the military
dominant rule, the people will rise up along with the true and viable leadership of
NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Those army personnel, who shared the same
sufferings and vision with the people, would definitely join our fight. The concord,
cooperation, collaboration, courage and consistency on part of the people will be
tested in the battles ahead of us. As part of the members overseas, we have vowed to
fight side by side with the people under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
until we could enact a government of the people, by the people and for the people in
Burma.

Campaign Committee

Date: May 27, 2011