Conclusion of the Burmese Regime’s "National Convention"

The “National Convention” concluded by the Burmese regime yesterday is a sham. Delegates to the convention were hand-picked by the regime and have not been allowed to engage in open debate about a new constitution. This convention also excluded the National League for Democracy, Burma’s largest democratic political party. The conclusion of the National Convention coincides with a brutal crackdown on citizens for peacefully exercising their freedom of expression. The results of this illegitimate convention clearly do not represent the will of the Burmese people, nor are they a step toward democracy.

The international community, including the United States, repeatedly has called for a genuine and inclusive dialogue between the Burmese regime and the leaders of Burma’s democracy movement and ethnic minority groups. Burma’s ruling generals continue to resist such a dialogue and brutally suppress the movement for democracy and respect for human rights in Burma.