Burmese Critics Warned to Keep Silent on National Convention

The Irrawaddy ^ | December 22, 2005 | Shah Paung

[LwinAungSoe]

The Burmese military government is reportedly stepping up pressure on pro-democracy activists to refrain from openly criticizing the resumed National Convention.

 

Several members of the National League for Democracy, other activists and opposition lawyers have been called in to hear warnings from the authorities since the National Convention resumed its work on December 5 to draw up a national constitution.

 

They say they were warned not to discuss the National Convention with outside media. Win Mya Mya, an organizer of the Mandalay branch of the NLD, said she had been summoned to meet the authorities earlier this month and told “to be careful when talking to the outside media and not talk about the National Convention.” Said Win Mya Mya: “They said they don’t want to arrest me and see me in jail.”

[LwinAungSoe]

The national convention held one-sidedly and forcifully by the Burmese junta has already been called a sham. Instead of proving it wrong, the military junta tries to continue the sham show. I hope international community will also refuse to recognize it this time as it does not include the National League for Democracy (NLD), the biggest winner of the electaion, and other elected parties. The junta has now become too desparate for the maintenance of dictatorship in Burma whereas the world in the 21st Century has clarly changed to eliminate it.