Peoples’ voices from all over the globe were heard as one today as solidarity groups hold simultaneous actions marking the Global Day of Action to Denounce Burma’s 2010 Military Elections.
About 100 protesters from the Free Burma Coalition – Philippines (FBC-Phils) staged a mock balloting in front of the SPDC Myanmar Embassy in Makati City, Manila. The protesters, one by one, dropped their mock ballots into a huge replica of a ballot box – marking the vote for Real Elections and Not Military Selection. The protest is one of the many actions happening in different parts of the world today.
The protesters shouted slogans calling for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners as they wave their “Peoples’ Ballot” and await their turn to ‘vote’. Representatives from participating organizations took turns in calling on the regime to step down and pave the way to genuine democratization in the country.
“The democratic movement of Burma set the minimum benchmarks for an election to be truly fair, honest, credible and meaningful. These are the release of all political prisoners; cessation of attacks against ethnic nationalities and democracy activists; and and all-inclusive dialogue to review the 2008 Constitution. The military junta did not give in to these; and even pursued their election design with the recently announced election laws that effectively excluded the democratic opposition,” a speaker from the Free Burma Coalition – Phils. said. “The elections is so designed by the military to further entrench their rule at the impoverished country. We do not want this process that will only legitimize the military junta. It is devoid of credibility and democratic integrity. We vote for real elections and not a military selection,” the speaker continued.
Participating groups in the said rally were the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), Bagong Kamalayan Collective Inc., Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific (CATW AP), Akabayan Citizens’ Party – Youth, Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), APL-Youth, Bukluran ng Mangagawang Pilipino (BMP), Partido ng Mangagawa (PM), Asian Bridge, Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC).
The protesters dispersed peacefully after the one hour program. A similar protest action will be staged by the FBC-Phils in Davao City, south of the Philippines this afternoon.
Tags: Free Burma Coalition - Philippines, Global Day of Action, Philippines
This post is in: Campaign Updates
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