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ABSDF STATEMENT ON THE 7TH ANNIVERS (r)



Subject: ABSDF Statement on the 7th Anniversary of the May 1990 Election

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Date: 26 May 1997

Statement on the 7th Anniversary of the May 1990 Election

Tomorrow - 27 May 1997 - marks the seventh anniversary of the only multi-party elections held in Burma in 35 years of military rule. On this occasion, the ABSDF again urges the State Law and Restoration Council (SLORC) to recognize the results of the 1990 election and hand over power to the winning party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).

The ABSDF urges the SLORC to enter into a tripartite dialogue with the democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic representatives to solve the country's political problems by peaceful means. 

The United Nations General Assembly has also warned the SLORC many times to respect the results of the general election.

Since the election the SLORC has continuously harassed and intimidated Members of Parliament (MPs) from pro-democracy parties. In particular the SLORC has singled out MPs from the NLD and since the election,  
two NLD MPs have died in prison,  
43 NLD MPs have been forced to resign from the party, 
68 have been dismissed as Members of Parliament by the SLORC,  
25 NLD MPs remain in detention serving long sentences, and
recently, more than 30 NLD MPs have been arrested. 

The 1990 election was held under Martial Law which was imposed by the military regime following the brutal crackdown of the 1988 pro-democracy movement. 

Despite the oppression of the military regime, the people of Burma overwhelmingly expressed their will for democracy with the NLD winning 82% of the seats. The SLORC refused to accept the election result or hand over power to the elected representatives.      

On the 7th anniversary of the May 1990 election, the ABSDF appeals to the people of Burma, including members of the armed forces, to support and assist the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the struggle for democracy.


Central Committee
ABSDF


For further information call (661) 654 4984.

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Burma and the 1990 Election

On 27 May, 1990 Burma held a multi-party democratic election for the first time in thirty years.  The NLD, the main party opposing the ruling military junta, won 392 of 485 seats in the parliament, 82% of the seats.  Now, seven years later, the regime still refuses to turn over power to the NLD.

1. On 31 May, 1989, a year after a bloody military crackdown, the SLORC issued law no. 14/89, the Pyithu Hluttaw Elections Law.  Sub-article one of chapter one stated:  'Hluttaw means Pyithu Hluttaw.'  This means that Burma's parliament would be an elected parliament.  Article three, chapter 2 states that 'the Hluttaw shall be formed with the Hluttaw representatives who have been elected in accordance with this law from the Hluttaw constituencies.'  This means that the national parliament would be composed after an election of representatives from designated constituencies.  Clearly, this is proof that the NLD, as the winning political party, has the legal right to convene the Pyithu Hluttaw (national parliament). 

2. When the SLORC did not cede power two months after the elections, the NLD convened a meeting comprised of the elected members of parliament.  It was scheduled for 28 July, 1990 at Gandhi Hall in Rangoon.  However, on 27 July, one day before the meeting was to be convened, the SLORC issued law no. 1/90.  The law was an overt attempt to stop the opposition from pressuring the regime into turning over power.  Article three of paragraph twelve stated  that 'the Hluttaw shall be formed with the Hluttaw representatives who have been elected from Hluttaw constituencies. The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) will take the responsibility for convening the Pyithu Hluttaw.'

Paragraph twenty of law no. 1/90 had also stated that ' the elected representatives shall have the responsibility of drafting a constitution for Burma.'  The same proclamation stated that the 'SLORC will never accept the drafting an interim constitution which aims to form a government and secure power.  Necessary action will be taken against attempts to carry out such tasks.'
     
3. The SLORC stepped up its campaign against the NLD after this declaration.  Specifically, the regime revoked many NLD members' status as elected representatives and forced them to resign from their party.

4. Trying to undermine the NLD, the SLORC organized the National Convention, claiming they would draft a constitution.  This was a clear violation of the regime's own law.  When they had issued law no. 1/90, it stated that the elected representatives of the May 1990 elections would be responsible for drafting constitution for Burma.  However, the SLORC allowed only 15.24% of all elected representatives to participate in the National Convention.  Moreover, the SLORC did not allow freedom of speech at the convention and all delegates were commanded to submit to the SLORC's agenda in the creation of the constitution.  While some representatives brought alternative plans and ideas forward, these were immediately censured, and the representatives were often arrested.  Still further, in an attempt to stamp out all opposition to its agenda, the SLORC has repeatedly ordered postponements when a controversial issue has arisen.  This has resulted in the National Convention lasting for f!
our 
years.  There is no way to know when it will end.



Worst, the SLORC issued a set of guidelines which the delegates to the Convention must follow.  The SLORC's attempt to stay in control is blatantly obvious in guideline number six, which states that the 'Army will be given a leading in the affairs of future Burma.'

When the NLD recognized the uselessness of the Convention, it walked out on 28 December, 1995. 

5. Six years after the NLD was formed, the SLORC detained a large number of representatives and members when the party attempted to convene a meeting commemorating the sixth anniversary of its founding.  Since then the SLORC has increased its pressure on NLD elected representatives and members to resign from the NLD through various means.  They even revoked the limited freedom of speech the party enjoyed, forcing Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to stop giving her weekly addresses to the public.

6. According to statistics compiled by the ABSDF Research and Documentation Centre, as of March 1997, 43 NLD Members of Parliament (MPs) had been forced to resign from the party, (a further nine resigned from the NLD for their own reasons), 68 have been dismissed by the SLORC as Members of Parliament, and 25 are under detention serving long sentences. Twenty eight members are in exile and 13 have died, two of whom died in prison.

With the latest round of arrests in Rangoon before the seventh anniversary of the national election, the number of elected members of parliament will significantly increase.  Even though the SLORC has claimed that its arrests are only for "questioning," detainees frequently receive long prison terms.


All Burma Students' Democratic Front
26 May, 1997    
  

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