UNA urges people to vote "No"
IMNA
The ethnic opposition parties' alliance, United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) has called on the people to vote against the Burmese junta's draft constitution.
People should not vote "Yes" to approve the draft constitution which was put together by the junta to perpetuate and legitimize military rule, said Nai Ngwe Thein, vice chairman of Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF).
"Not only Mon ethnic people but other ethnic people should vote against the draft constitution for real change to democracy in Burma," added Nai Ngwe Thein.
MNDF is a member of the UNA and the United Nationalities League for Democracy and MNDF are working together with other ethnic opposition parties which were deregistered by the junta.
The UNA is also worried about a rumour that the junta is going to approve the constitution by only counting "Yes" votes and even if it gets less than 50 percent "Yes" votes.
According to the junta's draft constitution, in the charter of the Transition Period, the draft constitution will not be approved if the "Yes" vote is less than 50 per cent of the total votes.
The Burmese military junta drafted the constitution over 14 long years without taking the views of the ethnic nationalities and opposition parties.
Currently both the military regime and activists are stepping up their campaign to get "Yes and No" votes. Local military government authorities have been threatening rural people instead of seeking support honestly.
Many villages in Mon state and Karen state were told, they would be sentenced to jail if they do not vote "Yes". Government employees were ordered to sign a contract saying that they will vote "Yes".
Activists and opposition groups distributed fliers to vote "No" and military government office staff are telling people, if they love democracy, they should vote "Yes".
Burmese military leaders are going around the country and asking people to vote "Yes" while opposition party activists in exile are encouraging people to vote "No".
People should not vote "Yes" to approve the draft constitution which was put together by the junta to perpetuate and legitimize military rule, said Nai Ngwe Thein, vice chairman of Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF).
"Not only Mon ethnic people but other ethnic people should vote against the draft constitution for real change to democracy in Burma," added Nai Ngwe Thein.
MNDF is a member of the UNA and the United Nationalities League for Democracy and MNDF are working together with other ethnic opposition parties which were deregistered by the junta.
The UNA is also worried about a rumour that the junta is going to approve the constitution by only counting "Yes" votes and even if it gets less than 50 percent "Yes" votes.
According to the junta's draft constitution, in the charter of the Transition Period, the draft constitution will not be approved if the "Yes" vote is less than 50 per cent of the total votes.
The Burmese military junta drafted the constitution over 14 long years without taking the views of the ethnic nationalities and opposition parties.
Currently both the military regime and activists are stepping up their campaign to get "Yes and No" votes. Local military government authorities have been threatening rural people instead of seeking support honestly.
Many villages in Mon state and Karen state were told, they would be sentenced to jail if they do not vote "Yes". Government employees were ordered to sign a contract saying that they will vote "Yes".
Activists and opposition groups distributed fliers to vote "No" and military government office staff are telling people, if they love democracy, they should vote "Yes".
Burmese military leaders are going around the country and asking people to vote "Yes" while opposition party activists in exile are encouraging people to vote "No".
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