-Despite the tragedy that hit Burma a week ago, the junta has been determined to carry through the national referendum on the constitution as planned, today. Only the hardest hit areas will instead cast their vote on 24 May. Exile media report that the turnout was low, and that many who actually showed up to vote were told that they had already been voted for and that the punishment for voting against the junta’s proposition is three years’ imprisonment, says Inger Lise Husøy, right, Director of the Norwegian Burma Committee (NBC) (10-MAY-08)

Based on the press release issued by NBC today, this article has been translated, edited and prepared for publication here by HRH F / Niels Jacob Harbitz. Photo of Husøy: HRH F / Harbitz.

-The draft constitution gives the army 25 % of the seats in Burma’s future parliament. This is not a step in the direction of democracy. The purpose of the constitution is to formalise the army’s political power, says Husøy.

-The referendum process is far from transparent, and difficult to assess
-The many indications of fraud are further evidence of this, continues Husøy. -No international observers have been present during the referendum, and only one central result for the whole country will be announced. The process is far from sufficiently transparent and very difficult to assess. In addition, any criticism of the draft constitution have been prohibited. The main opposition leaders are still imprisoned after the uprising last autumn. The democracy movement has appealed to the Burmese people to vote against the constitution. In the wake of the cyclone Nagris, the movement also asked the authorities to postpone the referendum, out of respect for all those affected.

The last time the Burmese people were allowed to vote was at the Parliamentarian elections in 1990, when Aung San Suu Kyi’s party won more than 80 % of the seats in Parliament. This result is still not accepted by the military junta.

For further comments, please contact Husøy at +47 97 97 83 83
Read more about the referendum at www.burma.no and at www.dvb.no