Leaders in exile blasts junta draft constitution

_{By Hseng Khio Fah}
 
"By studying some chapters, we know that the junta still wants the ethnic people to be under their control," said Col Hkun Okker, leader of the PaO People's Liberation Organization.
 
"Although the constitution claims that some ethnics will have their self-autonomous region, they have to work under supervision of the president so in my understanding, they will be only granted self-administrator level," he said.
 
For instance when the states are going to divide the boundary or change the name of division or state, they have to consult with the president first. They can do it only on his approval, he says.
 
The draft constitution says the states will not be changed, but there will be new divisions such as Pa-O, Palaung, Kokang and Danu Self-Administered Zones and one Wa Self-Administered Division in Shan State. Combination of 5 townships can become 1 division, according to the draft constitution.

                                                             _{U Myint Thein with Col Hkun Okker}

"In the junta draft constitution there are 6 basic principles. However, the first three Non-disintegration of the Union, Non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of national sovereignty are just slogans, not principles," he explained.
 
Then, looking at the National Flag of the SPDC, it just has only one star in the middle. "The country is only a Unitary state and not a Federal Union. It doesn't represent the ethnic states. If it does, it would have 14 stars, he commented. "I don't think that the ethnic nationalities will get full rights. The way SPDC is doing is like stepping back to their old creeds. There will be no federalism".
 
"We need to make up our minds carefully on this coming May referendum. If we accept this draft constitution, we will become their slaves forever," he concluded.
 
U Myint Thein from Burma Lawyers Council joked," Even the air that its citizens breathe belongs to the junta". According to the junta draft constitution, all the natural resources belong to the State.
 
"If the constitution is approved, it will be difficult for us to continue to be human beings," he said.
 
In addition Dr Thein Lwin of Chiangmai-based Migrant Learning Center provided his perspective:
 
"The draft constitution says ethnic nationalities have the right to promote their own culture and languages. However, how can they develop and promote their languages when Burmese is the only official language?"
 
"We need participatory democracy, real democracy, not junta democracy. Right now it seems the junta's aim is to Burmanize its citizens. It is Nationalism, not Federalism," said he.
 
Concerning with the junta voting referendum, a respected politician from southern Shan State has counseled that the constitutional referendum should not be boycotted “at least for the sake of one’s own safety and well being.” However, according to the referendum law promulgated on 26 February, secret ballot is allowed and votes will be immediately counted after voting in the presence of the voters. “If so,” he advises, “We should all vote.” As for saying yes or no to the draft constitution, “Which 99.9% of the people have never seen,” let alone understand the contents, he says, “The core of the constitution is the continuation of the military rule. Please ask yourself if you want it? If you do, just mark Yes. If you don’t want it, just mark No.”