08/10/2009
I gruppi etnici sulle elezioni del 2010 - Un aggiornamento
Il presidente dell'Ethnic Nationalities Council in esilio, la
coalizione delle organizzazioni politiche che rappresentano gli stati etnici chiarisce che il Consiglio non sostiene i
programmi per le elezioni del 2010 della giunta e smentisce il contenuto di una
lettera inviata al senatore Americano, James Webb prima dell’hearing
parlamentare sulla Birmania.
Il
chiarimento da parte di Khu Hte Bu
Phe, Presidente dell’ENC, afferma che
questa lettera non rispecchia la posizione dell'organizzazione e quindi
smentisce la sua rappresentatività. L’ENC non accetta né la costituzione del
2008 né le elezioni del 2010 anche se “non si opporrà o attaccherà le
organizzazioni etniche e gli individui che vogliono partecipare alle elezioni o
la gente che andrà a votare”
La lettera che è stata
contestata affermava che l’ENC non accetta la costituzione del 2008 e le elezioni
previste nel 2010, ma poiché i cittadini
birmani saranno forzati ad andare a votare, la politica a breve sarebbe dovuta
essere quella di sostenere i gruppi etnici che possono essere eletti nel 2010 in modo da assicurare
che i gruppi etnici possano avere una voce nella politica birmana e per
permettergli di partecipare alla governance e allo sviluppo della loro patria,
dice la lettera.
Anche
il Fronte Democratico Nazionale NDF, una coalizione di gruppi etnici di
resistenza armata in una dichiarazione ha affermato la sua posizione di rifiuto
espresso delle elezioni del 2010 che si basano sulla costituzione del 2008,
adottata con la forza e con mezzi fraudolenti. L’NDF riafferma che le elezioni
della giunta non risolveranno la crisi politica che affronta il popolo birmano,
né porteranno alla riconciliazione nazionale e alla democrazia, ma è un
processo che porterà la Birmania ad essere uno stato fallito e permetteranno
la continuazione della giunta.
(Pubblichiamo ora l'articolo e il comunicato ufficiale che descrivono le posizioni di ENC e NDF)
Ethnic Nationalities Council chair clarifies groups’ position
New Delhi
(Mizzima) – The Chairman of the Ethnic Nationalities Council in exile, a
coalition of ethnic political organisations, on Monday made it abundantly clear
that the Council’s position does not
support the Burmese military junta’s 2010 elections plans.
The clarification by Khu
Hte Bu Phe, Chairman of the ENC, came days after a letter sent in the name of
the Council to US Senator
James Webb, a strong advocate of engagement with the Burmese regime, before
hosting of a Congressional hearing on Burma.
The letter, signed by
the Secretary General of the ENC and dated September 28, explained to the US
Senator of ENC’s position on the Burmese junta’s 2010 election plans saying, in
principle the ethnics in Burma
do not accept the 2008 constitution and the forthcoming 2010 elections.
But since the
citizens of Burma will be
forced to cast their votes, the ENC’s short-term policy is to support eligible
ethnic groups in running for office in the 2010 in order to ensure
that ethnics will have a voice in Burma’s politics and to allow
ethnics to participate in governance and development of their homeland, the
letter said.
In the long-term, the
letter said, ENC hopes to work on developing a civil society that could hold an
elected government accountable to the people.
But the ENC chairman,
in his statement on Monday denied knowledge of the letter sent to Senator Webb
and said the Council does not accept the junta’s 2008 constitution and 2010
elections. “It [the council] has already
adopted a position that it will not oppose or attack ethnic organizations and
individuals wanting to contest the elections, or the people who will vote in
the elections,” said Khu Hte Bu Phe.
“This is, therefore,
to let all know that the letter to Senator Webb is not the position of ENC…”
Khu Hte Bu Phe said.
Meanwhile, on Monday
the National Democratic Front, a coalition of ethnic armed resistance groups,
in a statement said the group reaffirms its position expressly rejecting the
junta’s 2010 elections, which will be based on the 2008 constitution that is
adopted by force and fraudulent means.
The NDF said, the junta’s elections will neither resolve the political crisis
faced by the Burmese people nor will it lead to national reconciliation and
democracy but is a process that will turn Burma into a further ‘failed state’
and allow continuance of the junta.
“We regard the
reactionary political wind blowing at home and abroad, viewing the 2008
constitution and the 2010 elections as 'something that is better than nothing'
and promoting the attitude to "take whatever opportunity is available' as
merely an attempt to sanitize the SPDC and perpetuate the existence of military
dictatorship,” said the NDF, referring to the junta by its official name –
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
The statement also
said, the junta’s threat to use force on ceasefire groups, which have rejected
their proposal to transform into Border Guard Forces, shows the junta’s
unwillingness to solve ethnic issues peacefully.
“We the NDF would
like to earnestly urge the entire people to explicitly oppose the 2010
elections of the SPDC…,” the statement said.
Similarly, the
Karen National Union (KNU), the longest surviving insurgent group in Burma, on
Monday issued a statement saying the ENC’s letter to Senator Webb, which is
“appearing to state that the SPDC's elections due in 2010 could present some
kind of opportunity for change, has caused some confusion.”
“We would like to
reaffirm our statement of April 24, 2009 that elections due in 2010 do not
represent any kind of progress towards democratization in Burma,” said the KNU,
which is also a member of the NDF.
David Takarpaw,
Vice-Chairman of the KNU and also holding the Chairmanship of the NDF, in an
interview said, the KNU as well as the NDF are in a position to reject the
junta’s 2008 constitution and the forthcoming 2010 elections as the junta has
made no progress to prove that the elections would be free and fair.
“With the 2008
constitution not being amended, political prisoners still remaining behind
bars, and no freedom of association and campaigning, the elections cannot bring
any progress,” David Takarpaw said.
He said, without such
conditions being implemented, even if the ethnics join the election, the nature
of the 2008 constitution does not guarantee the rights for ethnic groups.
The KNU also urged
the international community not to be content regarding the junta’s elections
plans and not to “wait and see” as the election plan will only escalate
repression and instability.
(Puoi leggere l'articolo anche in originale su
Mizzima)
NDF
Statement Expressly Rejecting SPDC 2010 Elections
October 5, 2009
1. We, the NDF, once again issue our statement
reaffirming our position expressly
rejecting the SPDC 2010 elections which will implement the 2008 Constitution, adopted
by force and fraudulent means. Previously, we have declared our total rejection
of every step of the SPDC Road Map, on appropriate occasions. The ethnic
political organizations inside the country such as the United Nationalities
Alliance (UNA), the Committee Representing People’s Parliament (CRPP) and other
similar organizations have already issued statements totally rejecting the SPDC
2008 Constitution and the 2010 elections.
2. The 2010
elections will neither resolve the political crisis faced by the entire people
nor will it lead to national reconciliation and democracy. The SPDC Road
Map is simply a political process that will turn the country into a “Failed State”
and perpetuate the evil existence of SPDC military dictatorship.
3. We regard the reactionary political wind blowing at
home and abroad, viewing the 2008 Constitution and the 2010 elections as
‘something that is better than nothing’ and promoting the attitude to “take
whatever opportunity is available’ as merely an attempt to sanitize the SPDC and
perpetuate the existence of military dictatorship.
4. The long term incarceration of members of the
democratic forces, ethnic forces and the political activists such as U Tin Oo,
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Khun Tun Oo, Gen. Hser Htin, Min Ko Naing etc. can never
lead to national reconciliation. Moreover, the arrest and detention, daily, of
members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), students, youths and the
Buddhist monks, throw light on the disparity between the SPDC propaganda that
it will ensure the election to be free and fair, and its actual practice on the
ground.
5. Similarly, on allegation of various kinds against
the ceasefire organizations, which have rejected the SPDC Border Guard Force
plan, the acts of the SPDC to blatantly intrude into their areas and station
new troops, and to intimidate them with the use of military force against them,
show that the SPDC has no desire to resolve the ethnic issues by peaceful means
and it has the policy only of annihilation and escalation of the civil war. The
acts of the SPDC will neither bring peace nor democracy, and they are already
affecting regional peace and stability.
6. In
conclusion, we the NDF would like to earnestly urge the entire people to
explicitly oppose the 2010 elections of the SPDC and we solemnly request the
International Community, including the UN, to apply more effective pressure
upon the SPDC for the resolution of political problems by political means
through dialogue and negotiation.
“Victory through Alliance”
Central Executive Committee
National Democratic Front (NDF)
October 5, 2009
(8 Ottobre 2009)