Request letter to Ms Catherine Ashton from FBE ( 02/2012)

Date: :13 February 2012

Baroness Catherine Ashton of Upholland High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/ Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP) European Commission Rue de la Lo i 175 B 1048 BRUSSELS

Dear Lady Ashton, The Forum of Burmese in Europe (FBE) writes to urge you to persuade the current government of Burma to allow the delegation of international election monitor during the upcoming election. We thank you for a continuing practical support towards an establishment of genuine democracy in the country. The exiles in Europe also continue to bridge the gap in this noble endeavour and also raise concerns as when necessary with the democratic institutions as European Union (EU). As you are aware the National League for Democracy (NLD) has registered with the countrys election commission to contest in the upcoming by-elections in April 2012. The government has amended the stringent undemocratic election rules of 2010 elections in order to allow NLD to participate in the democratic process. This also indicates one of the positive results of implementation of sanctions. An incremental lifting of sanction should be based on compliance by the government on international communitys demand. However, during the 2010 elections, there were claims of alleged vote riggings in order to allocate majority of the parliamentary seats to the Union Solidarity and Development Associations (USDA) parliamentary candidates. The USDA is widely known to be a political wing of the military junta and also allegedly a militia organisation of the military junta. Nevertheless, we believe USDA has a full democratic right to contest in the elections in a fair and transparent way. It is of a paramount importance to ensure the above alleged incidents do not occur in the upcoming elections. A free and fair election is believed to be a fundamental principal of democratisation process unless the country would risk slipping into a fake democracy. No doubt, the government had rejected to the calls by international community to allow the delegation of international monitor during 2010 election. We would like to urge you to use your clout as a High Representative of the European Union by deploying EUs access and influence within and

outside the Unite Nations to persuade the government of the country to reconsider their decision by allowing the international election monitor.

Yours sincerely Forum of Burmese in Europe

Contact Persons Dr Than Htike U Kyaw Thwin Ko Sonny Aung Than Oo Ko Maung Muang Aung Ko Htin Kyaw Ko Hla Myint Naing Ph+48503799132 (Poland) Ph+4790883448 (Norway) Ph+491735347534 (Germany) Ph+ 447863745679 (England) Ph+33631112862 (France) Ph+31619231684 (Netherlands)