The united front of the Burmese democracy movement denounces in the strongest possible terms the published results of the ruling military regime’s illegal National Referendum. The Burmese military junta has claimed that 92.4% of the 22 million eligible voters approved the National Constitution, which would serve to consolidate its illegitimate rule. The referendum was held amidst gross injustice and human rights abuses. International voting standards were fundamentally contravened, all political dialogue was suppressed and the referendum was neither free nor fair. Ballots were openly manipulated by a heavily present military and armed forces, many were arrested, some had their vote cast for them and others were simply barred from casting any vote. (more…)