AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PARTIES AND THE MEMBERS WHO

CONTESTED THE 2010 “SHAM ELECTIONS BY PRO-DEMOCRACY

ACTIVISTS OVERSEAS

The State Peace and Development Council’s attempt to legitimize its rule via “sham
elections” has finished. These “sham elections” however failed to address both internal
and international criticism.

The international call for the participation of all parties was ignored. At the same time,
over 2,200 political prisoners remained behind bars throughout the election. The election
commission not only barred the opposition from their fundamental right to assembly and
to organize but it also openly committed vote-cheating, stealing votes and taking sides in
favor of the junta’s favored party. In addition, the elections were not fair as a high
majority of voters were forced to cast their votes under coercion through advance ballots.
Military personnel and civil servants, together with their families, and poor people were
forced to cast advance votes for the junta’s favored party. According to the international
observers the actual voter turnout was less than 40% instead of the regime’s claim of over
60%.

Furthermore, the referendum passed in 2008 in respect of the military dominated

constitution, was in itself a sham as the constitution was drafted by a fake national
convention and the referendum was passed through the use of the same unfair advance
ballots and vote-cheating they have employed in the 2010 “sham elections”. The 2008
referendum was also passed in the midst of the devastation of Cyclone Nergis.

Therefore, the results of these “sham elections” do not represent the people of
Burma. For that reason, we hereby call for the international community and
governments not to recognize the upcoming parliament and its government.

Despite the unjust electoral laws and intimidation, some candidates and parties still
participated in the election in good faith. However, the harsh reality is that they lost to the
tricks and blatant lies by the election commission.

The handful of the democratic and ethnic party candidates who managed to be elected
despite the “sham election” will face intimidation and domination from the members of
the illegal junta sponsored party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, in the fake
parliament. Furthermore, many of the so-called elected members of the Union Solidarity
and Development Party had been originally declared losers and were only declared
“winners” once further fraudulent advance votes were counted in their favour,

Consequently, we would like to urge the elected democratic and ethnic party
members not to attend the parliament that was shaped by these “sham elections”.

Also, this is the time for the parties and individual candidates who participated in these
“sham elections” to demonstrate their gratitude to their voters by rejecting the results of
these elections and by boycotting the fake national assembly and the upcoming
parliament. We honestly believe that the representatives of all national and state levels
have the responsibility to stand up for the people by boycotting the fake parliament. In
addition, we urge all the opposition parties and activists, both inside Burma and
overseas, that this is the time to fight against the deceptions of the military junta.

Sincerely,

Dated 26 November 2010

1.U Khin Maung Kyi (Former Diplomat)

2. U Htun Aung Kyaw (USA)
3. U Aung Than Oo (Germany)
4. U Than Swe (Japan)
5. U Moe Thee Zon (Thailand)
6. U Kyaw Than (India)
7. Sayardaw U Pyinnyar Zawta (India)
8. Sayardaw U Pyinnyar Thiri (India)
9. Sayerdaw U Zawanna (Thailand)
10. U Maung Maung (UK)
11. U Soe Nyunt (USA)
12.U Aung Thu (Germany)
13.U Aye Myint(Germany)
14.U Aung Ko (Beyond Rangoon, France)
15.Dr Thank Htike (Poland)
16.U George Settkyar Hein(Australia)
17.U Muthar (USA)
18.U Min Naing (Buffallo-USA)
19.U Aung Myint Tun (Fort Wyme- USA)
20.U Zaw Min Khaing (Japan)
21.Timothy Zaw Zaw (Canada)
22.U Soe Lwin (Sidney-Australia)
23.U Kyaw Kyaw ( NLD-Malaysia)
24.U Than Win (Ra-Ka-Tha-USA)
25.U Ko Ko Aung (Japan)
26.U Maung Lwin ( Korea)

Contacts:
U Khin Maung Kyi :+44-208-5801728
U Htun Aung Gyaw:+16073396054
U Aung Than Oo:+49-1735347534
Dr Than Htike:+48-22503799132
U Moe Thee Zon : +66-844591186