| Following
the repression of pro-democracy activists’ protests
across Burma in 1988, the junta agreed to hold the first
multiparty elections in the country’s history.
On 27 May 1990, in a free and fair election, the National
League for Democracy (NLD) won an overwhelming majority
of the parliamentary seats. However, the junta, then
known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC), stunned by the unexpected electoral results,
refused to convene Parliament. In a complete betrayal
of its own laws, SLORC claimed that the primary responsibility
of the elected representatives was to draft the constitution
for the “future democratic State”, before
Parliament could be convened. |
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NLD won 392 of 485 (over 81%) seats in the Parliament. |
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Other pro-democracy parties forming the United
Nationalities Alliance (UNA) accounted for 49
more seats (10%). The UNA comprises eight ethnic-based
political parties that ran in the 1990 election. |
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The National Unity Party (NUP), the party formed
by the junta to participate in the election, won
only 10 seats. |
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The National League
for Democracy was founded on 27 September 1988. Since
its inception, NLD key leaders, as well as party members
and activists, have been continuously subjected to
intimidation, threats, and harassment by SPDC authorities.
They have nonetheless managed to carry out peaceful
political activities with a view of achieving national
reconciliation in Burma.
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Harassment of NLD has typically included closure of
all offices across Burma, except the Party Headquarters
in Rangoon; forced resignations of Party members; arbitrary
arrests and detention of its activists, members, and
elected MPs. |
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NLD General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD Vice
Chairman U Tin Oo remain under house arrest. |
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10 NLD elected MPs remain imprisoned. |
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37 NLD members (including 2 MPs) have died in custody
since 1988 |
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| Born in Rangoon
on 19 June 1945, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter
of Burma’s independence hero General Aung San.
She is the NLD General Secretary and led the party to
the victory in the 1990 election. She currently remains
under house arrest. Her phone line is cut and her mail
is intercepted. Aside from her maid who lives with her,
the opposition leader is allowed no contact with the
outside world, except for periodic visits from her physician,
doctor Tin Myo Win. |
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Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Peace in 1991, she
is also the recipient of countless honors from prestigious
institutions worldwide. |
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Arrested by the military regime in July 1989, September
2000, and May 2003. |
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Has spent over 11 of the last 17 years under some
form of detention. |
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In addition to the NLD, other political parties that
won in the 1990 elections are the Shan Nationalities
League for Democracy (SNLD) and the Arakan League
for Democracy (ALD).
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Also known as Burma’s government in exile, the
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
(NCGUB) was formed in Manerplaw, Karen State, on 18
December 1990. Based in Washington DC, it works in
support of restoration of democracy in Burma. One
of the NCGUB’s declared principles is that it
will be dissolved once democracy and human rights
are restored in Burma. |
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In September 1998, the NLD and political parties of
non-Burman ethnic nationalities founded the Committee
Representing People's Parliament (CRPP) to perform
the duties of a parliament. |
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Students’ movement played a vital role in the
history of Burma throughout the 20th century, especially
during the struggle for independence from Britain. In
1988 students led peaceful demonstrations in Rangoon. |
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Members of the “88 generation students”
group carried out numerous political campaigns in Burma
between 2006 and 2007. Successful campaigns included:
“Open Heart”, “White Sunday”,
and “White Expression”. A signature campaign
organized by the group in October 2006 collected 535,580
signatures in just three weeks. |
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Former student leaders have been regularly subjected
to harassment and imprisonment by the regime. |
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| The NLD, other
pro-democracy parties, and student leaders have continuously
called on the military regime for dialogue. However,
the junta has repeatedly rejected offers for dialogue
and carried on unilaterally with its so-called seven-step
roadmap to democracy. Calls for dialogue by democratic
forces have included: |
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In October 2000, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi began secret talks
with the military junta. Substance of the talks remained
secret, and UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail acted as
a "facilitator."
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A proposal formulated by the NLD on 12 January 2006
(Burma’s Union Day) to the SPDC to convene the
elected Parliament according with the 1990 election
result in exchange for the recognition of the SPDC as
the legitimate transitional government. |
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Ethnic groups have repeatedly demanded for tripartite
dialogue (NLD + ethnic groups + military junta). |
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| Following the
rejection of the 1990 election results, Burma’s
military junta refused to convene Parliament. In a complete
betrayal of its own laws, the regime claimed that the
primary responsibility of the elected representatives
was to draft the constitution for the “future
democratic State”, before the Parliament could
be convened. The National Convention was first convened
in 1993 with the objective of laying down the principles
for drafting a new constitution. In 1995, the junta
expelled all of the NLD delegates from the Convention. |
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Delegates are handpicked by the regime, and USDA members
account for the overwhelming majority.
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Elected MPs attending the last session of the NC represent
only 3.3% of the MPs elected in the 1990 elections. |
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Delegates at the NC are not granted freedom of movement
and liberty to freely submit and discuss constitutional
proposals. |
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The regime bans and criminalizes any criticism of the
NC under Order 5/96, which provides for up to 20 years
imprisonment for anyone who criticizes the constitution-drafting
body. |
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