Media Advisory

11 May 2010

Burma’s Ten Alliances Call for

“People’s Elections” on 27 May
The ten leading alliances of Burma’s democracy and ethnic rights movement are
calling on Burmese communities and organizations in exile and Burma solidarity
groups around the world to hold “People’s Elections” on 27 May to express
the people’s desire for a genuine democratic change in Burma.

Twenty-seven May will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1990 elections in which
the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 82% of seats. The NLD and
other 1990 election winning parties have decided not to contest the elections this
year due to the military junta’s unfair election laws and undemocratic
preparations for the elections. Despite facing dissolution as legal political entities,
these parties have pledged to continue their struggle for democracy through
peaceful means.

“The Ten Alliances want to recognise and show our ongoing support to the
efforts of the NLD and other democratic forces in Burma over the last 20 years.
This Global Day of Action will be a united stand against this year’s elections, as
part of our ongoing Campaign Against Burma’s 2010 Military Elections. The
international community will join the people of Burma, the NLD, Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi and the democracy and ethnic rights movement in rejecting these sham
elections”, said U Moe Zaw Oo, Joint General Secretary of the National League
for Democracy – Liberated Area (NLD–LA) and coordinator of the Foreign
Affairs Coordinating Team (FACT) of the Ten Alliances.

The Ten Alliances have called on the groups to hold events in public places
where people can vote for genuine democratic elections in Burma and ask
ASEAN and national governments to denounce the 2010 elections and reject the
results unless the regime changes course and meets the minimum benchmarks set
out by the democracy movement:

1. The release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
2. Cessation of hostilities against ethnic and democracy groups
3. Inclusive dialogue with key stakeholders from democracy groups and
ethnic nationalities, including a review of the 2008 Constitution

The Ten Alliances of Burma’s democracy and ethnic rights movement represent the most broad-
based and multi-ethnic cooperation of political and civil society organizations from inside and in
exile working for national reconciliation, peace, and freedom in Burma. The Campaign
Against Burma’s 2010 Military Elections was launched on 19 March in Bangkok, with the
support of over 150 groups from all over the world.

###

For more information, please contact:

Moe Zaw Oo, Joint General Secretary, NLD–LA: +66 (0)877735580
Thwin Linn Aung, Coordinator of FACT: +66 (0)878502354