New Delhi – The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), an ethnic ceasefire group, has instructed its members to boycott the upcoming constitutional referendum, sources in the organization said.
A source in the KIO said the group, in an internal meeting, decided not to take part in the upcoming constitutional referendum and has notified its members that they should abstain from casting ballots in May's poll. The decision came despite the KIO having agreed to authorities registering its members and the distribution of Burmese identity cards
The Burmese military junta, in preparation for its announced May referendum and 2010 election, has reportedly begun issuing identity cards to armed ceasefire groups, including the KIO and United Wa State Army (UWSA).
The identity cards, which are widely called 'White cards', will enable the holders to cast votes in both the referendum and election, according to the source.
KIO leadership, from its headquarters in Laiza along the China-Burma border, were unable to be reached for comment, and the group's Foreign Affairs spokesperson based in Thailand, James Lumdau, declined to comment on the group's decision.
Instead he remarked, "In my personal view and experience, the junta will go ahead with its plans and the referendum in May and election in 2010 will be held no matter the amount of protest from inside and outside the country."
He further urged the Kachin people to carefully analyze the consequences of their actions and choose whether to vote or to stay out of the referendum.
Lumdau told Mizzima he believes that the people should vote as there will be no "result from abstaining but possibly some result could come from casting votes."
However, he declined to suggest whether the people should cast a 'Yes' or 'No' vote.
While Lumdau wished not to comment on the KIO's decision, Naw Din, Editor of the Thailand-based Kachin News Group said he has learned from KIO officials that the group has decided not to participate in the upcoming referendum.
"Yes it is right, I have been talking with the vice-president of the KIO, Gauri Zau Seng and he told me that they will not participate in the upcoming referendum."
But Naw Din did not rule out the possibility that members of the KIO will participate individually, as opposed to a group, in the referendum.
Naw Din, however, said the KIO has not made any public statement on its decision, except that they have ordered their members to register and get the identity cards.
The KIO, an armed ethnic group which has waged a war for independence for over 40 years, is one of the largest armed groups having signed a ceasefire deal with the ruling junta and are among the 17 ceasefire groups that participated in the junta's 14-year long National Convention.
The National Convention, which is the first step of the junta's seven step road-map, was dubbed a sham by pro-democracy activists and Western nations, including the United States and European Union.
The KIO, in collaboration with several other groups in the National Convention, have demanded rights for Burma's ethnic minorities, a call which, however, has to this point fallen on deaf ears.
In July 2007, about a month and a half before the conclusion of the National Convention, the KIO again put forward a 19-point proposal outlining their demands.
The KIO's proposal, which included the demarcation of governmental powers between the states and the central government based on federalist principles, was ignored by the junta.
