Burma Wishes for Indonesian-Style Democracy
Thursday, 27 March, 2008 | 15:34 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Singapore: Special representative of the United Nations for Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, yesterday said that the Burma military junta wishes for Indonesian-style democracy.

“The Junta wants to implement the model of Indonesian democracy where there is a change from the military government to civilian before becoming democratic,” said Gambari in a special interview with the Singapore newspaper, The Straits Times.

Gambari, who has just visited Burma early this month, said the Burma government is also interested in learning Thailand's experience that once was a military-based government until the political party of People Power (PPP) supporting former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, won the election last January. Before that took place, the military was the power holder after Thaksin was forced down through a non-bloody coup in September 2006.

At the present time, the junta has completed a constitutional draft to be decided in a referendum in May. They will hold an election in 2010.

The draft is aimed at keeping the military power. It is mentioned in the draft that Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s opposition leader, is forbidden to attend the election, and 25 percent of the parliamentary seats are the junta’s. Moreover, the president will have powers that he can appoint and dismiss parliamentary and justice officials.

Pro-democracy activists certainly disagree with this draft. Tun Myint Aung, leader of the Student Group of the 88 Generation, suggests people reject the draft.

AFP/Faisal Assegaf