One wonders how these generals go to bed each night with such dreadful concience.

The new light of Myanmar is the junta mouth piece. No news paper in Burma is
allowed to exist if they do not side with the generals. Information is not
free; it is rudely bias. This alone is human rights violation. As a matter
of fact the new light of Myanmar editor have to publish what the junta says.
The news paper press is full of military cronies writings articles to
deliberately confuse the people, deceive the people with false hood; things
that are not true and to discredit the opposition and belittle them. The
news paper is design and written to brain wash the simple people who are not
abreast with current happenings.
The new light of Myanmar says the referendum is the decision of the
majority. This is bull ***. This is totally false. It is not the will of
the people. The junta blames the NLD and every one else for its failures and
disastrous performance. The performance of the junta during the recent
cyclone is an example. The country is not stable; never will be whilst the
people are unhappy and forced and pushed and shoved into doing it their way
or else. The generals talk of democracy with out understanding the true
meaning of the word. The delegates of the national convention were not a
true representative of the people. They were hand picked by the generals who
will say yes to them.The decisions made in the convention were undemocratic.
The delegates were bulldozed into accepting what ever the generals put
before them. Majority of the people did not accept the outcome of the
convention simply because it was unfair. The people were not allowed to
examine the outcome of the convention. There were no freedom of speech,
press, association, assembly or press. Government servants, civil servants,
the arm forces and all workers working for the government, who were not
supposed to be aligned to any party, were actually forced and intimidated
into voting "yes" with promise of serious consequences if they vote NO.
This is not democratic principles the junta has been proclaiming. Before the
referendum the junta promised the people that voting will be free and fair.
The referendum voting was not democratic nor free and fair by any means. In
fact it was grossly illegal the way it was rigged disgracefully. Votes were
stolen by the junta officials who were all at the polling boot. The junta
officials would approach simple people who are fearful of these officials
with cameras in their hand ready to black mail them if they voted No. These
officials would follow the voters into the polling boot and force them to
vote yes. The people were betrayed, the generals stole the referendum and
with out shame or conscience proclaimed that they won the referendum by
92.8%. It is abundantly clear why the generals did not want overseas
observers in the country to monitor the referendum. The referendum is
illegal and cannot be accepted by the world community.

And they continue to publish such falsehood in the new light of Myanmar to
further deceive the people. All this is absolutely wrong. The generals do
these despicable deeds to keep them in power because they are afraid of the
people and afraid of reprisals as the blood on their hands are still wet and
it is refusing to dry. One wonders how these generals go to bed each night
with such dreadful conscience.


July 31, The New Light of Myanmar
Do not make the goal of democracy far away from the people - Lu Thit

In democratic practices the people are the master. The desire of the
people is important and their decision is final. All people have to agree
to and accept the decision of the majority. It is the very basic and
simple practice of democratic system.

Nowadays anti-government groups led by NLD are talking about the term
"democracy" repeatedly. It is disappointing to note that they refuse to
accept the desire of most of the people and their decision.
Anti-government politicians who are said to be those respect democracy
cannot accept the very democratic practice. If they feel ashamed of their
misdeeds, they should not live in the presence of the people.

As is known to all, the Tatmadaw government had to take up State duties
unavoidably. Since then, the government has implemented the tasks for
stability of the State, better economic life of the State and the people
and national education promotion - the basic requirements for building a
new country. With the better foundations of development, it laid down the
seven-step Road Map and is implementing them. Now out of the seven steps,
four have been achieved and the government is marching towards the step
five with greater momentum.

It is not that the government is implementing the seven-step Road Map
secretly after laying them down. It officially announced the programme
publicly. As the people accepted it, the UN, the nations of the world and
ASEAN nations also regarded it as the correct way to democracy development
in Myanmar. The National Convention which is the step-one was successfully
held. Over 1,000 delegates from eight groups of whom national race
delegates were the majority representing all the people attended the
National Convention and held extensive discussions. They unanimously laid
down the fundamental principles and detailed basic principles to be
included in the State constitution. Based on the fundamental principles
and detailed basic principles, the draft of the constitution has been
drawn by legal experts including national scholars.

The referendum for approval of the draft of the State Constitution was
successfully held on 10 and 24 May 2008. Out of the 27,288,827 eligible
voters, 98.12 per cent cast the vote and 92.48 per cent voted 'yes'.
Therefore on 29 May 2008, it was announced that the constitution of the
Republic of the Union of Myanmar was adopted and approved through the
referendum.

Internal and external anti-government organizations led by NLD criticized
the approval of the new constitution by 92.48 per cent. They said there is
no free and fair in the referendum that there was some influence and
coercion over the people and that was why the constitution was illegal.
Although they opposed the present government, the decision-maker was the
people. Their opposition insulted the decision of the people and it was
against the desire of the people.

Again, U Pu Kyint Shin Htan, U Thein Pe, Dr Myint Naing, U Nyi Pu and Dr
Tin Min Htut of CRPP sent an open letter dated 21 July to UN
Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon an the Security Council. In the letter,
they said the seven-step Road Map was inappropriate and not effective and
the constitution was illegal. They asked for dialogue with antigovernment
organizations including NLD during the set time frame. An expatriate group
under the name of Hluttaw representatives led by Khun Myint Tun announced
that they supported the letter. They did not know that the people did not
accept the announcement which was full of groundless accusations. The
people of Myanmar disgust at the act of those who long for the strangers.

The people of today are different from those of 1988. They have political,
economic, social and health knowledge. They have mature thoughts and high
quality and can distinguish the right and the wrong. They no long believe
and support whatever the politicians say. They will support the good act
and oppose the misdeed.

The people of Myanmar today realize and believe in the government's
endeavours in the long-term interest of the State and the people from the
time the government had taken up State duties. That is why the people
fully support the national development process. In other words, they
support the new constitution. It is a reflection of the people in response
to the government's goodwill towards the State and them.

Another point is that the entire people desire democracy. The present
government is trying to introduce multiparty democracy system in place of
one party system. The constitution that can bring about democracy system
is essential. The people understand that democracy cannot be practised
without a constitution.

Moreover, the people were well convinced and they accepted that the new
State constitution is the best and the most appropriate one for them
today. They also understand well that the government now dedicates itself
to the drive for transforming the nation from the present administrative
system into democracy people's administrative system based on the
constitution. That was why the great majority of the voters voted in
favour of the new constitution.

The referendum was held at the national scale in accordance with the law,
regulations and procedures of international level norms. As a result, the
entire people had opportunities to cast votes freely with comfort and
convenience at the referendum, and it came to the knowledge of the people
that any-regions did not see pressure or force put on the voters. In the
run-up to the referendum, NLD and anti-government groups were persuading
the people to vote 'no' for the constitution through the mottos: "Vote-No"
and "No-Vote", but in vain. The majority of the voters cast `yes' vote of
their own accord. Anti-government groups also enjoyed the rights to cast
votes freely. It made it clear when the stance of the people came out that
the people did not accept the deceptions and organizing measures of the
anti-government groups. Even if the government rigged the referendum and
put pressure on the people, as they accused, the percentage of the 'yes'
votes would not touch as many as 92.48 per cent. Actually, such a result
was due to the people's trust and reliance on the constitution.

Now, the constitution has been approved, so both anti-government groups
and pro-government forces can soon enjoy the rights to form political
parties, organize the people, canvass for votes, and stand for election in
line with the law. That is a giant step for transition to democracy to
satisfy the people's desire. They will also can enjoy the rights to stand
for election in a just way in the multi-party democracy general elections
scheduled to take place in 2010. If a person is elected by the people, he
will be vested with the rights to hold talks and make decisions in the
hluttaw (parliament) for the political, economic and social affairs of the
nation.

Trying to achieve the goal of democracy through the multi-party democracy
general elections to be held according to the constitution is the safest
and the most suitable way that can guarantee national solidarity,
transition to democracy and building a peaceful, modern and developed
nation. Surely, internal and external anti-government groups will receive
a warm welcome and win the support of the people if they realize the truth
and do their bit in harness to reach the goal ahead of schedule, while
marching along the sole national path without infringing the democracy
transition processes.

The State constitution (draft) national representatives and scholars had
unanimously written in conformity with the objective conditions of the
nation was adopted with the approval of the public. That is, in reality,
the internal affairs of a sovereign nation and its national cause. Any
other nation or organization, or international organization does not have
any rights to interfere in it. No nation or organization will violate the
regulations enshrined in the UN Charter that are to be honoured by every
UN member. Nonetheless, so-called politicians with antigovernment
sentiment are taking unnecessary measures without taking into
consideration the objective conditions of the nation, thus indicating
their lack of political experience.

The people have chosen their path and set up their goal of their own
volition. So, everyone who respects the people's desire should accept the
decision of the people. If saboteurs persist in their complaints that they
oppose the State constitution, the constitution is not legal, and it
should not be recognized, they will face the punishment of the people.

NLD, which gives shelter to CRPP, is, in truth, the west-looking group, as
evidenced by the fact that it has been against the strength of the nation,
thinking highly of and placing too much reliance on its alien masters in
the course of its existence. It sticks to policies of confrontation,
defiance against the government, utter devastation and four cuts with the
intention of making the nation and the people get in dire straits. It did
not show any positive response to the offer that if it quit such
activities, the Head of State would hold talks with Daw Suu Kyi. And it
declined the proposal, giving lame excuses. Its refusal has depicted who
is to blame for failure to hold a dialogue it has been demanding for long.

Myanmar exercises independent, active and non-aligned foreign policy. It
honours the peaceful coexistence of world countries, with the aim of
helping achieve world peace and achieving friendly relations between
global countries. It maintains cordial ties with regional countries and
world countries. It cooperates with the UN constantly. It has a role in
works for development with a sense of duty in the political, economic,
education, health and science and technology sectors and environmental
conservation internationally-organized by the UN. Myanmar's present
political, economic and military affairs do not pose any threats to
stability and peace of the international community, and regional and
neighbouring countries. The attempts to diminish the role of a dutiful
country through invented and exaggerated stories are absolutely
unacceptable and abhorrent to the people and that committing such attempts
is a betrayal to the nation.

Overall, the anti-government groups' campaigns to oppose the State's
seven-step Road Map and the constitution and attempts to rely on alien
elements including CRPP's unnecessary measures and the support of Khun
Myint Tun and cohorts for their masters are all designed to disrupt the
efforts the government and the people are making in collaboration to
translate democracy transition processes into reality. Democracy cannot be
exercised through such subversive acts, and they will make the people
further away from the goal of democracy. I would like to remind them that
axe-handle national traitors will one day suffer evil consequences of
their total disregard for the people's desire and decelerating the
people's steps to meet the goal of democracy.

Translation: NY+MS


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