Opposition and Exile
The highly repressive measures in Burma leave little space for opposition groups to form or function. The few groups that have remained active in Burma conduct most of their activities underground and have offices outside of the country. However as most opposition leaders remain under arrest, coordination and mobilisation has been extremely difficult. The main Opposition inside Burma include Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League of Democracy that won the 1990 elections, as well as student groups, monks and ethnic groups. MPs elected in the 1990 elections have formed a government in exiled under the National Coalition Government Union of Burma (NCGUB).
Currently all opposition groups have refused to participate in elections unless the government releases political prisoners, amends the constitution and allows international monitors during the elections. With out these preconditions, the opposition the elections will not be credible nor bring about a true democracy in Burma.
However after the NLD was formally outlawed after it refused to register with the Election Commission, a faction of the NLD central committee members led by Dr. Thein Nyein decided to form a new group to compete in the elections called the United Democratic Front. However Aung San Suu Kyi has criticisd the group as being incompatible with the democratic process.
Currently all opposition groups have refused to participate in elections unless the government releases political prisoners, amends the constitution and allows international monitors during the elections. With out these preconditions, the opposition the elections will not be credible nor bring about a true democracy in Burma.
However after the NLD was formally outlawed after it refused to register with the Election Commission, a faction of the NLD central committee members led by Dr. Thein Nyein decided to form a new group to compete in the elections called the United Democratic Front. However Aung San Suu Kyi has criticisd the group as being incompatible with the democratic process.
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OPPOSITION
(Aung San Suu Kyi) United Democratic Front (UDF) EXILE GOVERNMENT
National Coalition Government Union of Burma (NCGUB)  National Union of Burma (NCUB) |
STUDENT 88 GENERATION STUDENTS (Min Ko Naing) All Burma Federation of Students Unions (ABFSU) Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS) |
ETHNIC Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD) |
OTHERS All Burma Monks Alliance (ABMA) Parliamentary Democracy Party (PDP) EXILE Association to Assist Political Prisoners (AAPP) Burma Strategic Group Euro-Burma Office Federation of Trade Unions of Burma (FTUB) Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB) Free Burma Coalition (FBC) Women's League of Burma (WLB) |
Events:
| Date | Type | Group | Details of the event |
| 10 Feb 2010 | Statement |
NLD |
Aung San Suu Kyi declared that a decision on contesting the general election in Burma cannot be taken till the electoral process is publicized, and that the military-run country's upcoming elections cannot be credible unless the government allows freedom of information. |
| 28 Jan 2010 |
Statement |
NLD |
In a meeting with her lawyer, Burma's detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi said that the Burmese Home Minister's recent comment about her release this coming November is an obstruction of the legal process while her lawyers await the court's decision regarding the final appeal against her current 18-month period of house arrest. |
| 20-22 Jan 2010 | Party |
NLD |
Win Tin, a central executive committee member of the National League for Democracy made a three-day trip to Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin in central Burma he briefed members of the NLD from over 30 townships on the party’s political stand and its decision to expand the CEC and central committee. It was the first time he traveled out of the city since his release in September 2008 |
| 18 Jan 2010 | Party |
NLD |
The newly enlarged CEC of the NLD held its first meeting and passed a resolution to reconstitute the Central Committee (CC) |
| 13 Jan 2010 | Dialogue with SPDC |
NLD | Aung San Suu Kyi had a 25-minute meeting with the SPDC Liaison Minister, Aung Kyi, at her house |
| 7 Jan 2010 |
Arrest |
Monks |
Rev. Ajjae was arrested in Thanbyuzayat town, Mon State, and accused of organizing an anti-election campaign. Following his arrest he was said to have been tortured in a detention centre in Rangoon. |
| 4 Jan 2010 |
Request |
SNLD |
SNLD sent Than Shwe a letter requesting a meeting with its imprisoned party leaders prior to elections this year, apparently with an eye to participating. |
| 16 Dec 2009 |
Party |
NLD |
Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to meet three senior executives in the NLD ― 92-year-old party chairman Aung Shwe, 88-year-old CEC member Lun Tin and the party's secretary U Lwin for the first time in several years and calls for a reorganization of the party's aging CEC. |
| Nov 2009 |
Dialogue with SPDC |
NLD |
A group led by NLD Rangoon Division Vice-Chairman Dr. Than Nyein, Dr. Than Win and U Hla Thein met with U Khin Maung Tun, Chairman of Election Commission Office. |
| 20 Oct 2009 | International |
NLD | NLD hosted United States’ Chargé d’affaires Larry M. Dinger and two American diplomats |
| 14 Oct 2009 |
International |
NLD |
The NLD hosted a delegation of diplomats representing the European Union at the party’s headquarters in Rangoon. |
| 9 Oct 2009 |
International |
NLD | Aung San Suu Kyi met deputy heads of the U.S. and Australian missions and the ambassador of Britain, which represented the European Union |
| 7 Oct 2009 |
Dialogue with SPDC |
NLD | Aung San Suu Kyi met with the SPDC Liaison Minister, Aung Kyi |
| 3 Oct 2009 |
Dialogue with SPDC |
NLD |
Aung San Suu Kyi met with the SPDC Liaison Minister, Aung Kyi |
| 2 Oct 2009 |
Arrest |
NLD |
Yangon divisional court rejected an appeal of Aung San Suu Kyi against her extended house arrest |
| 27 Sept 2009 |
Statement |
NLD |
NLD released a statement during the 21st anniversary of the party demanding the reopening of the functions of its political campaigns, which have been banned by the regime for the last six years. |
| 25 Sept 2009 |
Request |
NLD |
Aung San Suu Kyi sent a letter to Sr. Gen. Than Shwe stated her desire to work with Western countries and the junta toward the lifting of sanctions and a meeting with senior members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) in order to negotiate an agreement for an end to sanctions. |
| 12 Sept 2009 |
Arrest |
NLD |
Win Tin, Senior leader of the NLD, was briefly detained but released later in the day by the Special Branch of the police. |
| 4 Sept 2009 |
Request |
NLD |
NLD asked the military government for permission to play an active role in organizing political activities across Burma |
| 25 Aug 2009 |
Protest |
NLD |
Burmese monks across Burma are preparing to launch another boycott of military personnel and their families due to ongoing abuses against Buddhist doctrine and clergy by the ruling military junta |
| 11 Aug 2009 |
Arrest |
NLD |
Aung San Suu Kyi is sentenced by a Yangon district court to three years' prison terms but her terms were immediately commuted to one and a half years' terms which were suspended for carrying out by confinement to her residence according to an order of Than Shwe. |
| 3 Jul 2009 |
International |
NLD |
NLD central executive committee members traveled to Naypyidaw to meet visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon |
| 27 Jun 2009 | Protest |
Monks |
Several monks refrained from going out to collect swan offering in Myingyan town in Mandalay division, following a visit and offerings made by junta’s Minister of Industries (1) Aung Thawng. |
| 25 Jun 2009 |
Arrest |
Monks |
Monk Ashin Gambira, had his prison term reduced by five years by a district court in Insein prison |
| 4 Jun 2009 |
Protest |
Independents |
Two women and three children were arrested by the police after briefly demonstrating in front of the US embassy in Rangoon |
| 28 May 2009 |
Protest |
Independent |
A solo demonstrator was arrested at about 1:20 p.m. On Thursday for protesting outside the prison where pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is being tried for violating the terms of her house arrest |
| 27 May 2009 |
Statement |
NLD |
The NLD, marked the 19th anniversary of its election victory by issuing a statement to the Burmese military government with a list of political demands. |
| 25 May 2009 | Statement |
Ethnic |
Ethnic leaders inside and outside Burma condemned the Burmese regime’s trial of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi |
| 5 May 2009 | International |
ABMA & 88 Generation Students Group |
In a letter addressed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the All Burma Monks Alliance and the 88 Generation Students urged the US to maintain and stiffen its economic sanctions against the military junta until all political prisoners are released and the regime agrees to a meaningful dialogue with the NLD and ethnic representatives. |
| 29 Apr 2009 |
Party |
NLD |
NLD held the second nation-wide party meeting in its history, attended by representatives of all branches across the country. The party issued the Shwe-gon-dine declaration that sets conditions for the NLD's participation in the 2010 general election |
| 6 Apr 2009 | Request |
88 Generational Students Group |
The 88 Generation Students group said in an open letter to the ruling State Peace and Development Council that if the junta respected human rights and moved toward democratic changes in the interest of the country, the international economic sanctions against Burma would be lifted. |
| 27 Mar 2009 |
Request |
NLD |
Burma’s main opposition party repeated its calls for the ruling junta to begin a dialogue with its opponents and release all political prisoners during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of an important event in the country’s military history. |
| 26 Mar 2009 |
Petition |
Monks |
Monks in upper Burma have launched a petition calling for an end to an official ban on so-called “dharma lectures” featuring the Buddha’s teachings |
| 26 Mar 2009 |
International |
NLD |
Burma's opposition party urged the US to open talks with the country's junta |
| 19 Mar 2009 |
Request |
NLD |
NLD sent a letter to the SPDC Chairman requesting permission for a meeting with their leaders in order to facilitate decisions at this crucial juncture in the country’s politics. |
| 13 Mar 2009 |
Arrest |
Monks |
Six family members of Ashin Gambira, a well-know organizer in the 2007 monk-led pro-democracy uprising, were each sentenced to five years imprisonment |
| 12 Mar 2009 | Statement |
CRPP |
In the course of its regular meeting, CRPP Chairman Aye Thar Aung said that the constitution must be reviewed and amended if they are to contend the elections. |
| 17 Feb 2009 | Request |
NLD | Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has reiterated its calls for unconditional dialogue between its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe. |
| 12 Feb 2009 | Petition |
NLD |
Several hundred people who gathered at the Rangoon headquarters of the National League for Democracy (NLD) to commemorate Burma’s 62nd Union Day marked the occasion by signing a petition calling for the release of political prisoners. |
| 2 Feb 2009 | International |
UNA |
The United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), based in Burma, submitted a letter to Gambari suggesting that he broker talks between the regime, the political opposition led by Suu Kyi and leaders of ethnic minorities. |
| 30 Dec 2008 |
Protest |
Independent |
Nine supporters of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi were arrested when they staged a protest in Rangoon, the former capital, calling for her release. Some of the protesters were wearing the colors of the NLD. |