Burma: An upcoming referendum for '50% democracy'

Human Rights Watch released a report that details how the upcoming national referendum for Burma's new constitution will be taking place in "an environment of severe restrictions on access to information, repressive media restrictions, an almost total ban on freedom of expression, assembly, and association, and the continuing widespread detention of political activists." Since the announcement of the referendum in February, the government has stepped up its military repression to beat and detain those opposed to the draft constitution.

Thailand's prime minister joked yesterday how Burma's draft constitution offers a "50% democracy," ridiculing how the provisions keep key political opposition leaders from running for office, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. On April 25th, the US Senate passed a bill to honor Suu Kyi for her persistence for human rights and democracy, which rewards her with the Congressional Gold Medal.

This came after the US had circulated a draft statement around the UN Security Council to further "scold" Burma for ignoring UN demands for the military regime to release Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. Unfortunately, even if passed unanimously, this is yet another non-binding statement that will be issued lacking any substantive teeth. Burmese activists and citizens have been expressing great disappointment regarding the lack of progress of the UN and its envoy Ibrahim Gambari.

As representatives of the US Campaign for Burma say: "The Burmese military regime has destroyed twice as many villages as have been destroyed in Darfur [where the UN Security Council has authorized up to 30,000 peacekeepers]. Yet Gambari never says this...He has simply not stated the facts that would drive international action, and when he has said the right thing, he hasn't done it often enough."

The military regime continues its massive military campaigns in ethnic states around the country, razing villages and committing mass atrocities against innocent civilians to drive out non-Burman ethnic minorities. For more background, click here. As well over 3,000 villages have been burned and countless victims displaced, substantive international action has yet to be taken to prevent further mass atrocities to continue with impunity. In the Karenni state (one of seven ethnic states) alone, a quarter of its population (approx. 81,000) has already been displaced. Rape and forced labor, as well as structural violence against children have been rampant, particularly in the Karen state, according to Burmese activists who are known to have vast networks of information gathering to document human rights abuses.

Before the constitution that will continue to keep the military regime in power is approved, the international community must take measures with more teeth, further strengthen sanctions against the military leaders, refer the situation of mass atrocities in ethnic states to the International Criminal Court for investigations to commence, and work more with regional parties such as ASEAN. It is about time that we go beyond non-binding Security Council statements and economic sanctions with only marginal effects to apply direct pressure.