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» 04/07/2008 13:24
MYANMAR
For the Burmese junta, there is a "risk of attacks", but this is only a
pretext
One month from the constitutional referendum, the state newspapers launch
a
new campaign by the junta to defame the sup****ters of democracy in the
country, who are described as "terrorists and anarchists". Worrying
"exclusions" in the text of the new constitution.
Yangon (AsiaNews) - Like its Chinese ally, Myanmar is also tasking with
"terrorism" the sup****ters of civil rights and democracy, in order to
further justify domestic repression. In view of the referendum on the new
constitution, scheduled for May, the military regime has opened a new
campaign in the state media, warning of a concrete risk of attacks. And
although the new constitution has still not been made known in its
entirety,
and the date of the voting has not been specified, fears are growing that
the junta has "revised" the text in such a way as to permit no
constitutional modification after popular approval.
Last April 5, newspapers like "The New Light of Myanmar", a government
press
outlet, wrote that "terrorists could set off bombs during the referendum".
There followed explicit reference to the members of the National League
for
Democracy (NLD), the party of democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is
under house arrest. It is said that a plot was discovered following the
arrest of an unidentified activist of the NLD, found last month in
possession of explosives. The articles warn that subversive elements "are
asking for democracy while they commit terrorist and anarchist acts".
The referendum is part of the military government's so-called "road map"
toward democracy; but with time, this has clearly been transformed into a
stratagem for buying time against international pressure. Dissidents,
Buddhist monks, and the league of Aung San Suu Kyi have all together
called
for a "no" vote on the new constitution, which will only reinforce the
power
of the generals. And mystery continues to surround the text that the
citizens will vote on within a month. It seems that the do***ent presents
exclusions, which are probably not accidental, according to which future
constitutional modifications would require the (unrealistic) approval of
"the entire electoral body", instead of a simple majority. Put in these
terms, the clause would make the charter airtight, without leaving room
for
later modifications.
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11949&size=A
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