Guwahati: The Burma Centre Delhi and the Journalists’ Forum, Assam have jointly organized a consultation meeting on the proposed general election in Burma (Myanmar) with a focus on its probable implication in Northeast India. The meeting to be held in Guwahati Press Club will start on 10:30 am.

The military rulers of Burma have recently reaffirmed holding a general election on 10-10-10 (October 10 this year). The last election held in Burma during 1990 was won by the National League for Democracy (392 out of 492 parliament seats), but the regime ignored the results and refused to hand over power till today. Instead, more repressive methods were practiced to crack down on the NLD leaders and workers in particular and the democratic movement as a whole.

Since the election in 1990, Burmese pro-democracy activists have been imprisoned, intimidated, tortured and put to death for demanding justice, peace, human rights and a democratic government. At present, there are more than 2100 political prisoners, many of them have been given jail terms for several years and some even up to 106 years without trial and proper legal procedures.

M. Kim and Dr. Alana Golmei of Burma Centre Delhi with Dr Tint Shwe, a senior political activist of Burma will attend the programme as resource persons and analyze Burma’s Constitution (formulated by the military junta in 2008), 2010 polls and Burmese peoples’ aspiration and struggle, and the probable responses from the Northeast.

There are apprehensions that the 2010 polls will make the Burmese military regime into a permanent dictatorship unless provisions of the (2008) Constitution are reviewed and amended, cessation of systematic human rights abuses and criminal hostilities against ethnic groups, political activists, journalists, and the civil society are made.

“Referendum or election without basic civil rights and political freedom is unfair. It is unrecognizable unless political parties are allowed to operate freely, political prisoners are released, and cessation of systematic human rights abuses and criminal hostilities against ethnic groups and journalists are stopped in Burma,” said Kim. Many Burmese groups have shown their interest on the proposed election in Burma, but some people believe that the forthcoming election will only make the Burmese military regime into a permanent dictatorship unless provisions of Constitution (2008) are reviewed and amended with proper conciliation.

The theme of the consultation meeting is to understand the State Peace and Development Council’s constitution and election, strengthen people to people relationship and revitalization of linkages, and create a space for generating dialogues and actions amongst concerned people of the region. The consultation meeting also aims to create similar space for concerned activists and political actors in Northeast India for restoration of peace, justice and democracy in Burma.