The All Burma Students League

Background

The All Burma Students League (ABSL) was formed on 30th July 1994 in New Delhi when
India-based democratic forces of Burma namely Burma Students League (BSL), All
Burma Students Union (ABSU), Students Army of Burma (SAB), United Democratic Front
(UDF), Mizoram-based Burmese Students and other individuals who were scattered in
different parts of India came together for the first time.

It was a historic event in India that all the students activist joined their hands and souls
together, and pledged to fight for the restoration of democracy and human rights in
Burma by any means possible. On 15th September 1994, the Burmese students and
youths in Thailand also formed the ABSL (Thailand) to conform the political objectives of
ABSL (India). The ABSL has also Liaison Offices in USA, Norway, Canada and Australia.

Since its very inception, the All Burma Students League has been holding its general
conference every two years: the 2nd conference from 21st to 26th August in 1996, the
3rd conference from July 24th to 26th in 1998 and the 4th conference from June 17th to
19th in 2000.

The All Burma Students League is a constituent of the Students and Youth Congress of
Burma (SYCB), and umbrella of students and youth organizations of Burma representing
various nationalities, that was formed in January 1996.

The ABSL has been actively working together with regional and international students
and youth organizations on common issues. It became a member of the International
Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) in December 1996.

The Three political Objectives

1.To wipeout the fascist, militarist, dictatorial system in Burma and to build a democratic
union which fully guarantees democracy and human rights;

2.To protect democracy and human rights of each and every citizen of the country;

3.To work for national reconciliation and nation-rebuilding tasks of Burma.

The four political policies

1.We believe in building a democratic nation with the people’s movement and people’s
empowerment representing all walks of life;

2.We recognize the peaceful protest demonstrations, denunciation, confrontation and

challenging the powers of the military junta as the main weapons of the movement;

3.We believe a true National Convention, free from fear, interference and control from
the powers, is the key to rebuilding Burma which has been in decay and disunity fro
more than 40 years;

4.We support to build a new federal union representing all the nationalities in Burma.

The Five Organizational Policies

 • Aims to establish a National Front composed of all revolutionary forces;
• Extending mutual respect amongst revolutionary forces based on the right to
have objective differences of opinions and views.
• Cooperating with all other democracy forces which have common objectives and
programs untill the National Front is established;
• To cooperate with international students and youths organisations of the world;
• To mobilize all sections of the people and all nationalities of Burma to get actively
involved in the national liberation struggle.

The ABSL views the on-going political crisis in Burma as a struggle between the
oppressed and the oppressors. Only a political dialogue can solve the problems that
Burma has faced and continues to face. At present, the Committee for Representing
People’s Parliament (CRPP) formed in August 1998 with the National League for
Democracy (NLD), the Arakan National League for Democracy, the Mon National League
for Democracy, the Shan National League for Democracy and the Zomi National League
for Democracy (the parties that had won in the 1990 elections) is the highest legitimate
body to represent the people of Burma.

The ABSL has been carrying out political programmes and campaigns both inside and
outside Burma. It coordinates among the exiled democratic groups living in different
countries around the world in their fight against the military dictatorship in Burma.
Moreover, political defiance programmes are being launched inside Burma by the
members of ABSL against the illegitimate rule of the military junta.