8 THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR Thursday, 23 July, 2009
Wipe out anti-public desire elements (1)
It is common knowledge that the entire peo-
ple are in favour of democracy, so that it is more
democratic in line with the law, in place of the one-
party system. Besides, they are in support of the
market-oriented economic system, by which they
can work widely to ensure greater development of
the nation as well as better socio-economic life of
each individual and family. Therefore, the govern-
ment is working hard practicing the market economy
to improve the socio-economic life of the people in
compliance with public desire. As a result, the
nation has enjoyed development to a certain degree,
which is tangible to everyone.
Simultaneously, the government is trying its
utmost to complete the seven-step Road Map, grap-
pling with a large variety of hindrances, disruptions
and challenges against democratic transition. So far,
it has realized several democratization proceedings
such as convening the National Convention, formu-
lating and drafting the State constitution, and approv-
ing the draft constitution through the referendum.
The government held the referendum in ac-
cordance with the international level referendum
law and bye-laws. Likewise, it formed commissions
at all levels ranging from the central level to the
grassroots level to supervise the proceedings for
ensuring a free and fair one. Moreover, it published
books on State constitution, election law and bye-
laws in time for public knowledge.
On the days in which the referendum was in
progress, foreign diplomats and representatives from
UN agencies were sent to various regions for their
first-hand knowledge of the proceedings in which
local people were casting their votes of their own
accord. The government made arrangements both
for pro- and for anti-constitution people to cast votes
freely. So, apparently, the referendum to approve
the constitution was held fairly.
In the referendum, 92.48 per cent of the voters
favoured the State constitution, so the constitution
has had the mandate to go on.
That means the people are in favour of the
constitution and they place trust and reliance on
the government. In the 1974 referendum, the
constitution won only 90.17 percent of votes al-
though the party cells of the Myanmar Socialist
Programme Party had been set up firmly and the
people were organized at national level. The
percentage at that time should have been higher
than this time. Despite internal and external
elements organizing and putting pressure on the
people, the percentage of the votes in favour was
92.48, higher than that in 1974. So, it is crystal
clear that the people are really in favour of and
they accept the constitution.
1990 election results, to which anti-government
groups stick, have been null and void. The people do
not turn to the results of more than 19 years ago.
Similarly, the anti-government groups’ persistent de-
mand for a dialogue has gone down the drain.
23-7-09 NL 8 8/3/18, 8:59 AM
To implement the seven-step Road Map, while carry-
ing out tasks for national development without sacrific-
ing State stability and community peace is the correct
political trend as well as the most appropriate and the
safest way to achieve the goal of democracy.
The people’s massive support for the constitu-
tion is largely due to the fact that the people are in
recognition of the government’s efforts to do national
politics and it is capable of fulfilling their three major
wishes. The people are in favour of stability and
peace, and are opposed to subversive acts that can
provoke instability, unrest and violence. They aspire
to national development and betterment of their socio-
economic life. They do not accept any forms of cases
that can hinder development. Every citizen wants to
enjoy fully the freedom of acts and businesses in line
with the law, and to achieve their goal of democracy.
The foregoing points represent the genuine wishes of
the majority of today’s people.
The people are in support of the government
with all seriousness that the ruling government is
capable enough of maintaining State stability and
community peace, undertaking tasks for develop-
ment of the nation and the people, and playing a
leadership role in the democratization process, as
aspired by the public. Thus, the people fully took
part in the constitution-approving process or the
fourth step of the State’s seven-step Road Map.
These are all public wishes, so all have to honour
the public desire.
Nevertheless, NLD is turning a blind eye to the
people’s desire and trying to disrupt the proceedings.
The United Nations secretary-general’s visit to
Myanmar was followed by a large range of criticisms
from foreign media. In a BBC news programme on 14
July 2009, the spokesperson of the party said that they
would hold on the policy that whether they would
stand for 2010 election or not, taking into considera-
tion the release of political prisoners including Daw
Suu Kyi, a meeting to review the 2008 constitution,
and the government’s reaction to those two points;
adding that it was impossible for them to stand for
election without any action on 1990 election results.
It has been about one year internal and external
anti-government groups have refused to respect the
people’s desire, variously criticizing the already-
approved constitution. They remain intransigent, but
Lu Thit
I am sure they have accepted straight from their
heart that the result represents the public desire. It
is because some anti-government groups once im-
plicitly conceded the result. In reality, they realize
the people’s desire, but keep on betraying the na-
tional cause owing to their party attachment, sec-
tarianism and personality cult.
To implement the seven-step Road Map,
while carrying out tasks for national development
without sacrificing State stability and community
peace is the correct political trend as well as the
most appropriate and the safest way to achieve the
goal of democracy. That is the reason why the
people showed their massive support for the consti-
tution in the referendum in order that the nation can
keep on marching at regular speed. The arrange-
ments for 2010 multiparty democracy general elec-
tion now have made a good headway. Many parties
are found making preparations in the framework of
the law.
It can be deduced from those points that the
entire people are in support of the programmes
ongoing in line with the constitution for democra-
tization they aspire to. The ruling government has
asserted that it will see to the seven-step Road Map
in compliance with the mandate. The people will
never accept the anti-government groups’ attempts
to disrupt the ongoing programmes and will not
remain indifferent if the groups keep on trying to
make amendments to and revoke the constitution.
They should have realized that fact.
The people have approved the constitution
and given mandate to the government to build the
new nation in consistence with the seven-step Road
Map. That means the 1990 election results, to which
anti-government groups stick, have been null and
void. The people do not turn to the results of more
than 19 years ago. Similarly, the anti-government
groups’ persistent demand for a dialogue has gone
down the drain. The people’s memories are still
fresh that they gave various reasons to refuse to
attend the National Convention even though they
were given opportunities to submit their opinions
and hold discussions at the convention.
The demand the NLD spokesperson made for
release of political prisoners including Daw Suu
Kyi is unreasonable at all. The government has said
many times that there are no political prisoners in
Myanmar. They are, indeed, the ones who are
serving their terms in accordance with the law for
their harming stability and peace of the State, and
committing other crimes. Daw Suu Kyi, like them,
is not a political prisoner, but the person who is on
trial for breaching an existing law.
(To be continued)
Translation: MS