Referendum: “NO” momentum

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_ By Khin Ohmar

Vote “NO” momentum:

Brave activists in Rangoon, Mandalay and Kachin and Arakan States are campaigning and encouraging hard to people to take a stand against the military regime’s draft constitution by casting protest vote “No” in the referendum. According to exiled media outlets, many people are preparing to vote NO not because they do not understand the drafted constitution but because they dislike the military regime.

With no exact date set for the referendum and the detailed procedures of how it will be conducted many people are doubtful that this will be free and fair. Legal and law experts are also attempting to explain people not to confuse over ‘boycotting’ and ‘vote No’ campaign. Experts insisted that anyone eligible to vote must turn up at the polling stations or booths to express their wishes on the drafted constitution while still cautious about possibilities of irregularities and vote cheating by the military regime while using intimidation by its backed organizations like the USDA and the Swan-Arr-Shin. Many expressed their frustration and that the real challenge and test that they face when they want to educate and raise awareness about what the referendum means, how people can vote YES or NO, and how their votes will be rendered for the future policy of the country as access to information and freedom of expression are severely limited and restricted in the country.

Meanwhile, with millions of migrant workers from Burma in Thailand alone and in other neighboring countries like Malaysia and Singapore, many rights activists are wondering how the regime would deal with the citizens abroad.

Despite the fact that the regime has made no content available to the public, many feared the prospect of dead-end charter that appears to be engraved on stone and decided to reject totally. The fear is fairly justified since the military can choose its appointees for 25% of the seats in the parliament but to make any changes to constitution requires more than three-quarters or 75% of members of parliament (MPs) under the Session 12 of the drafted charter.

Senior Mon leader of MNDF on referendum:

Senior leader of the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) warned that the main and ceasefire Mon ethnic group, the New Mon State Party (NMSP) formed in 1958 and reached ceasefire agreement with the military regime in 1995, should be ready if it does not plan to support the referendum or involve itself in the elections and also said that it is better for NMSP not to get involved in it.

Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) controlled areas ordered to collect list of voters:

A group comprised of government personnel went into KIO controlled areas and ordered to collect the list to those who are eligible to vote. Early this month, immigration officials went to villages under the 1st KIA (military wing of KIO) controlled areas. KIO/KIA had officially announced that all civilians who do not have national registration cards (NRC) both in Kachin and northeastern Shan State have been advised to apply for the NRC. Nonetheless, some sources from KIO/KIA said that their members are not enrolling in the current statewide census and voter list in Kachin State.

Civil servants instructed to vote YES by the regime:

The immigration department and quarter level authorities in Sagaing Division in upper Burma are instructing civil servants to vote “Yes” for the national referendum in May.

Temporary resident cards in various colors issued:

The authorities in Insein Township in Rangoon have issued out temporary residents cards in quarter and village levels. The green temporary cards are issued and can be used for only six months. However, there are other color-coded temporary cards, pink and white, are issued out by the authorities and some residents do not understand why they are getting in different colors.

Secretary of CRPP questions the NLD:

U Aye Thar Aung, the Secretary of the Committee Representing Peoples’ Parliament (CRPP) said that the elected members of parliament and the CRPP have openly rejected the constitutional referendum in May and questioned at the same time the 1990 election winning party NLD’s stance on the referendum. He said that the NLD should be clearly stating what it wants the people to do regarding referendum whether the people should “go to the polling stations and vote “No” or boycott the process entirely”. The grassroots level NLD members are raising concerns and will be questioning hard on their leaders to identify the party’s policy regarding the referendum. Nonetheless, Nyan Win, the spokesman of the NLD, reportedly said that the referendum is not the final fight and hinted that the NLD would be releasing statement on this particular issue soon.