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Interview with Director of Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)
12 November 2009
[CG Note: London-based Burma Democratic Concern (BDC), founded in2008, has been noted for its strong campaigns and lobbying activities both inside and outside Burma to restore democracy, human rights andrule of law in Burma. Recently, BDC was publicly attacked in one of thestate-owned Burmese language daily newspapers. Director of BurmaDemocratic Concern (BDC), Myo Thein , talks about BDC, its activitiesand 2010 elections in Burma.]Chinland Guardian:
 First of all, tell us more about Burma DemocraticConcern (BDC).
 Myo Thein :
We established the Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) in 2008 afterSaffron Revolution in Burma. Since then, we have been doing campaigning andlobbying internationally, intensively and consistently. Since Burma DemocraticConcern (BDC) is the global campaigning and lobbying organisation, we have the branches in United Kingdom, United States and Thailand. We are also planning toopen new branches in the European countries. Burma Democratic Concern (BDC) isequipped with participants who had political background and in-depth knowledge of Burma issues, experiences in the past and are engaging in current activities. Themain objectives of our organization are:
• to support efforts to create a political environment in Burma• to increase awareness abou
t political development in Burma
• to strengthen support for Burma democracy movement in international
governments
Chinland Guardian:
 
We have learned that BDC was publicly denounced by SPDC in the official newspaper The Mirror. Tell us more about what they said.
 
 
Myo Thein :
 
Junta’s newspaper said that we are funded by US Government
intending to destabilize the peace and tranquillity of Burma. It was regarding aboutthe verdict on Aung San Suu Kyi, relating to the case involving US citizen swimmer,John William Yettaw. Additionally, they also accused the NLD inside Burma of dancing to the tune in accordance and in tandem with us by issuing statements. They 
also accused me of being one of the people who are orchestrating “Global Action forBurma” which is the coalition of more than 120 organisations both from inside
Burma and from abroad working together collectively to see justice realities inBurma.My impression is that junta is scared of what we are doing--campaigning effectively to restore democracy in Burma. I do not respond to it since it is just their accusationsand I just focus on what I am doing. I know that I am doing the right thing andeventually justice will prevail.
Chinland Guardian:
 Some people say ‘campaigning outside Burma’ is
not effective any more as many other organisations in exile have not  proved until today that it really brings a positive change in the country.What is your view on this? 
Myo Thein :
I would say we have to do what we believe is right rather thancomplaining about others or seeing things pessimistically. Our actions reflect how wesee things as well. We must believe in wha
t we are doing since “What we believe is what we achieve”. All of us working for Burma are trying our best for the betterment
of the country. Working to bring about change in Burma is not an easy task to realise.It takes a lot of toils, energy, time and sacrifices to get there. I would say due to
everyone’s collective hard works, Burma is where we are seeing today as it is.
 
Chinland Guardian:
 Recently, there have been talks about changes in
the way in which Burma’s SPDC has been approached. For instance,
US now have a different approach and new policy on Burma. Where do youstand? 
Myo Thein :
I am also aware of the recent development of US new policy andSPDC new approach. Here, we have to look at what will be the best interest for the benefit of 50 million people of Burma. We cannot work with one fixed policy. Wemust be flexible and we must be ready to compromise. Here, I would like to highlight
the importance of “Time, Frame and Angle” when we approach something, especially 
in politics. We will always stand on the side of the public since we are working for thepeople, of the people and by the people. We have to take into account everything dueto globalisation.
Chinland Guardian:
The military regime is determined to hold its 2010election and it is believed that it will just go ahead, ignoring the
 peoples’ voices and even the 1990 election results. After all, is it not 
better to join them since we cannot beat them? 
 
Myo Thein :
 
Here I would like to stress that “something is better than nothing” i
snot always right! We all know that Junta held the election in 1990 in which Aung SanSuu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide victory. Juntastill ignores to honour it and instead, puts Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest.During their reign of terror, people of Burma are suffering tremendously. Juntanever hesitates to use brutal force to suppress anyone who opposes their illegitimaterule.
 Aung San Suu Kyi officially once said: “That the results of the 1990 General Elections
must be implemented is a resolution already taken by the United Nations. Wealready know that the General Assembly of the United Nations has accepted thenotion that the will of the people has been expressed in the 1990 General Elections.This is something we cannot abandon. It will be to the detriment of our country if after an election has been held the results are not honoured and we do not resist
attempts to trivialise it.”
 Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), theunan
imous victors of the 1990 election, clearly stated their position in “Shwe
-Gone-
Daing” declaration that need to place in order to have true national reconciliation in
Burma, i.e. to1. Release all the political prisoners2. Review 2008 Constitution3. Allow to reopen NLD and ethnic nationalities offices4. Recognise 1990 election result5. Take place political dialogue
The junta’s planned 2010 election is only a charade designed to legitimise the
military dictatorship within Burma. The International Community should be awareof the hopelessly irreconcilable contents of the constitution that was adopted in2008. The referendum was ushered into existence under questionable conditionsincluding extortion and rigged ballots.Giving the military junta 25% of the parliamentary seats, unbridled authoritariancontrol and a self serving amnesty for the crimes against humanity were truly not the will of the Burmese people. Legitimizing the criminal regime was also not the will of the people and this is incomprehensible and totally unacceptable to the Burmesepeople.It should not be forgotten that in spite of promises made by the military junta in the1990 which they sponsored they did not relinquish power when they lost the election.Now to insure they will not lose the 2010 election they have intensified the arrests of democratic proponents and concocted charges against Aung San Suu Kyi to eliminateher influence in this sham election.
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