8/14/2019 HKC Statement

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Hong Kong Coalition for a Free BurmaHong Kong Coalition for a Free BurmaHong Kong Coalition for a Free BurmaHong Kong Coalition for a Free Burma

5 February 2010, Hong Kong

No point to recognize an election which serves the dictator

People in Hong Kong and Burma have been demanding for democracy since 1988. Two decades has

passed, we are still denied the right to change the regime by our votes. In Hong Kong, the government

is conducting a public consultation for election methods for Chief Executive and Legislative Council

with the proposal to limit 1,200 persons to vote for the CE and retaining the number of seats for the

functional constituencies. Likewise, the military regime in Burma intends to run the election with 25%

seats reserved to military in this year which ruled out the participation of the opposition. Both systems

continue to ensure the control of the ruling class in name of democracy.

On the road to democracy, in Hong Kong, we fight for it by social movement, whereas people in

Burma fight for it with life and freedom. The systematic human rights violations explained the reasons

for people to keep up the fight inside and outside Burma even at a high cost. There are still some 2,100

political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who are arbitrarly detained for merely demonstrating

peacefully, exercising their freedom of speech and offering help to victims of Cyclone Nargis.

Moreover, ethnic nationals continued to be attacked by the military and paramilitary forces supported

by the government in 2009, causing around 5,000 people to flee to Thailand, adding to the 150,000

refugees already on the Thai border, and displacing more than 10,000 people inside the country,

increasing the ranks of the half a million people who had previously been displaced in Burma. In

addition, it is estimated that 90 percent of people in Burma live below the poverty line. Also,

inadequate health care, child soldiers, forced labour and forced relocation are also pressing issues.

Today Hong Kong Coalition for a Free Burma, other organizations and individuals, together with Khin

Ohmar from Burma Partnership come to protest against the military regime in Burma. It is not only

because we have the same cause to fight for democracy, but we see the connection of Hong Kong and

Burma. China and Hong Kong are the fourth and sixth largest investors in Burma respectively. This

implies that the corporate in Hong Kong is supporting the military regime directly and indirectly to

suppress the people in Burma. For this reason, we see our role to monitor the investors in Hong Kong

for the human rights and democracy in Burma.

The Hong Kong Coalition for a Free Burma will not recognize the 2010 Election in Burma as it is not

free and fair in nature. If the infamous regime wants to gain legitimacy from the people in Burma and

international community, it must release all political prisoners immediately, amend the Constitution

with genuine public consultation and stop attacking the ethnic nationals in the country.