As the UN envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, again readies himself to discuss the country’s torturous, so far non-existent, path to freedom, it is worth considering those who will sit opposite him at the negotiating table. The junta that has been in place since 1962 has long since proved itself incapable of honour and bereft of sincerity. It has stalled and run diversions for decades and worn out more than one well-intentioned interlocutor.

For these reasons, Dr Gambari must be very wary of the junta’s announcement of a referendum on a new constitution in May and for general elections in 2010.

History does not lie. The State Law and Order Restoration Council (now the State Peace and Development Council) issued a declaration on September 18, 1988, stating that it was taking over state power to carry out four “duties”. It pledged to the monks and lay people that holding a multiparty general election would be its final duty.

Furthermore, the commander-in-chief of the Defence Services said on September 23, 1988: “… since our organisation, formed with members of the Defence Services, has also pledged loyalty to the nation, I believe that it will never renege on the promise it had given to the nation and the people …”

The council also passed the “People’s Assembly Elections Law” on May 31, 1989. Section 3 states: “The Parliament shall be formed with representatives elected from the constituencies in accordance with this law.”

The international community acknowledged that the election held in Burma in 1990 was fair and free. The National League for Democracy, with Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi as its leader, was elected with more than 80 per cent of the vote, but has never been allowed to take its place in the Burmese Parliament.

Speaking to local and foreign journalists in 1989, the commander-in-chief of the Burmese Defence Services clearly said that the military couldn’t draft the promised new constitution because it was not an elected entity. The junta also extended its promise to allow the new constitution to be drafted by elected representatives.

Yet, even before a genuine dialogue between the government and political groups could take place, the junta announced the May referendum on a new constitution and the general election in 2010.

This openly flouts the fact that the authorities are duty bound to first explain to voters how they view the 1990 election result and why they refuse to accept its results.

A democratic nation can never be run in this way. The reason the National League for Democracy was formed in accordance with law is to restore human and democratic rights in Burma. Regardless of the situation, it will continue to cooperate with the UN.

Only through open dialogue and free and fair elections will Burma once again be a nation of freedom and peace, and a valued member of the international community.

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Dr Thaung Htun is the representative for United Nations

Affairs of the Burma UN Service Office, National Coalition

Government of the Union of Burma