Burma Resolution

Dear All,

The city of Berkeley passed two Burma Resolutions on July 13, 2010, and rejected the 2010 military's elections as illegitimate, recognized the 1990 election results, and therefore, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD as Burma's rightful leaders. The city also urged the Congresswoman Barbara Lee to co-sponsor the House Resolution HR-898 to support democracy and action to end the crimes against humanity taking place in Burma.

The city has the strong tradition of supporting the democracy development in Burma. In 1995, Berkeley passed its first resolution against Burma's dictators -- later known as selected purchasing law - that was followed by wave of resolutions form cities across the United States leading up to the pulling-out of large US corporations from Burma. Since then the city has passed many resolutions in support of Burma's struggle for democracy.

In 2008, the city declared August 8 (anniversary of 1988 people's uprising in Burma) as Annual Burma Day, and annually raises Burma democracy flags at the city hall to honor the people of Burma. The city is planning this year flag-raising event to be on Friday, August 6 morning at the City Hall.

The city has done it again, and we thank the Peace and Justice Commission (and our colleagues: Commissioner PhoeBe, Mary and Secretary Eric) for recommending the resolutions to the City council; and the City Council for passing the resolutions, and many of you who supported this effort in any way you can.

The full text of the resolutions is posted here: http://www.badasf.org/2010/Berkeley-Burma-Resolutions-2010.htm

Towards Burma's freedom!

Regards,
Nyunt Than
BADA
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30. Support of H.R. 898—Democracy in Burma and Opposition to Crimes Against Humanity (PDF)
From: Peace and Justice Commission
Recommendation: Direct the City Clerk to send a letter to Representative Barbara Lee urging her to co-sponsor House Resolution 898 to support democracy and action to end the crimes against humanity taking place in Burma today.
Contact: Eric Brenman, Commission Secretary, 981-5100
Action: Adopted Resolution No. 64,995–N.S. as revised to reflect Phoebe Sorgen as absent in the Peace and Justice Commission minutes.
City Council Vote: Ayes: Maio, Moore, Anderson, Arreguin, Capitelli, Wengraf, Worthington, Wozniak. Abstain: Bates.

Call to Action - Email Berkeley City Council members to pass Burma Resolution

To support the people of Burma in their long and hard struggle for freedom, the City of Berkeley City Council will vote on a resolution – denouncing the 2010 Election in Burma as illegitimate. The resolution will be voted on Tuesday (June 2nd) at the City Council meeting. The resolution has been unanimously approved by the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission in April and submitted to the City Council for the final approval.

How you can support: If you are the resident of Berkeley, please email the City Council members and ask them to kindly support the resolution. Few suggestions below, and the email addresses are at the bottom:

Subject line: Please Vote Yes to Resolution denouncing the Burmese military regime’s illegitimate 2010 election
Email body: You may use the text in the Background section below. If you live in their district, please mention about it.

Background: The people of Burma have lived under brutal dictatorship since 1962. After the massive uprising in 1988, the military junta held an election in 1990, and the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory. Instead of the power being handed over, many of the NLD’s leaders and representatives have been imprisoned and/or chased out of the country by the military regime.

The regime is holding an election this year, but the election-winning party, NLD is ceasing to exit as of May 6 as the regime has forced the party to not contest in the election by slapping laws that require NLD to expel its leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and many others in the prisons (political prisoners) before registering for the election . So, the party refuses to register, and it will cease to exit according their unjust laws.

After destroying the NLD as a political party, the military regime is now planning to secure all seats available in the election for the military and its cronies. According to the sham constitution drawn up by the regime, the military is allowed to appoint 25% of the seats in the parliament. To gain the remaining 75% of the seats, the regime's Prime Minister recently registered the regime-backed, notorious Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) as a political party to contest in the forthcoming election.

The regime’s goals in doing the election this year are crystal clear: 1) To erase the 1990 election's results, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD 2) To legitimize its military rule and 3) To fool the international community to ease pressure. This is no free, fair and all-inclusive election at all, but a political play by the oppressive regime to fool the world to hold on to the power.

So, please stand with the people of Burma and vote yes to the resolution denouncing the Burma's military regime’s illegitimate 2010 election.

More on the resolution: Besides denouncing the regime’s illegitimate election, the resolution recognizes Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would have been the president of Burma of Burma and declares May 27 as the Burma Democracy in honor of the 20^th anniversary of the 1990 elections. The resolution also calls on the US and UN to reach out to the Burma’s neighboring countries: China, India and ASEAN; and the Security Council Members to stand with them in rejecting the 2010 election in Burma. The full text of the resolution is posted here: Berkeley-Burma-Resolutions-2010.htm .

--------------------- City of Berkeley City Council Members --------------------------

Please send an email and ask the city council members to pass the "Resolution denouncing the Burmese military regime’s illegitimate 2010 election" coming Monday

Mail address for all city officials: City of Berkeley, 2180 Milvia Street, 5th Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704

Councilmember Linda Maio - District 1
EMAIL: lmaio@ci.berkeley.ca.us
PHONE: 510-981-7110
FAX: (510) 981-7111

Councilmember Darryl Moore - District 2
Phone: (510) 981-7120
Email: dmoore@ci.berkeley.ca.us

COUNCILMEMBER JESSE ARREGUÍN - District 4
EMAIL: jarreguin@cityofberkeley.info
PHONE: (510) 981-7140
FAX: (510) 981-7144