First posters against 2010 elections appear in Kachin State

Kachin State is witnessing the first of the poster protests against the Burmese military junta’s forthcoming 2010 general elections. Pamphlets are being distributed and posters pasted in Myitkyina the capital of Kachin State against the polls since June 19.

Kachin students pasted a poster, the anti-constitutional Referendum in Bhamo, Kachin State before May 10, 2008. Photo: Kachin News Group.

The posters are A-4 size papers with a “Cross Mark” on the sentence – ‘2010 election.’ The posters have also been pasted on the walls around three major cities in Kachin State--- Myitkyina, Bhamo and Waingmaw Townships, said eyewitnesses.

“We are putting up posters in places where people gather and where it is easy to spot like bridges and lampposts,” said an activist.

However, the authorities have ordered the police and the fire brigade, who uses as a security force to take down all the posters immediately.

While there is no organization, which has taken the responsibility for the posters, it is believed to be the handiwork of individual civilians for the first time in Kachin State, said the activist.

So far most of the poster protests were organized by the All Kachin Students Union (AKSU) in Kachin State, who often protested against the Irrawaddy Myitsone dam construction.

The poster movement against the elections comes from those who did not accept the 2008 constitution, which they believe will only legitimize military rule in Burma.

The protesters also condemn the junta for refusing to hand over power after the 1990 general election results to the National League for Democracy (NLD).

After the student led mass protest in Burma in 1988 August or the 8888 uprising, the NLD led by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi won the 1990 parliamentary polls with 392 out of 492 seats.

“Whatever it takes, we civilians in Kachin State will express what we want whenever we get the chance,” said activists.

The activists strongly believe that one day justice will be done and they will continue to protest the 2010 general election.

The junta backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) with over 20 million members in the country is the only party conducting election campaign in Kachin State. Kachin ethnics represented by parties such as the Kachin State Progressive Party (KSPP) and Northern Shan State Progressive Party (NSPP) are still awaiting approval from the Union Election Commission to contest the election.

USDP was formed on April 29 by USDA leaders including junta’s Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein, who resigned his post to contest the election.

Source:http://kachinnews.com/News/First-posters-against-2010-elections-appear-in-Kachin-State.html