As six women Nobel Peace Laureates who honor our sister Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, we are disheartened by the recent elections in Burma.  Elections can be a genuine step towards democracy and a celebration of important and fundamental political change.  These elections were not.  The conditions under which they took place made clear that the elections were a means by which to entrench military rule and legitimize an undemocratic constitution.

These elections, the first to be held in the country in twenty years, were neither free nor fair.  The democratically elected leader of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, remained under house arrest.  She, along with other democratic leaders and over 2100 other political prisoners, was prevented from taking part in any way.  Her party, the National League for Democracy, elected by an overwhelming majority into government in 1990, also did not participate in these elections.  Under the junta’s rules, in order to participate the NLD would have had to give up all their members imprisoned for their political beliefs – and accept a constitution that they have maintained is fundamentally illegitimate.   Election procedures were not in accordance with international standards and prevented the exercise of fundamental freedoms and political rights.  Election laws barred a number of political parties and candidates from running, either by disqualifying them or making it nearly impossible for candidates to participate.   Over 1.5 million citizens, internally displaced or part of ethnic nationalities struggling against the government, were prevented from voting.   Journalists and observers were banned.

Such an election should not be regarded by the international community as a step toward credibility or legitimacy for the regime. The people of Burma continue to be subjected to egregious human rights abuses; forced labour, mass displacement, rape and torture at the hands of the regime put the government of Burma in the ranks of the world’s worst human rights abusers. Yet still the people of Burma manage to speak out, bravely working for democracy and freedom under the most dangerous of circumstances.

And therein lies the hope for Burma. It is embodied in Aung San Suu Kyi and all those who continue to struggle tirelessly for a free and democratic Burma.  The international community owes it to the people of Burma to speak out for genuine democracy, human rights and freedom.

We call on the UN Secretary General and all states to condemn the undemocratic constitution of Burma and the flawed elections.  We call on the government of Burma to respect the human rights, of the people of Burma to unconditionally release all political prisoners and to immediately cease hostilities against ethnic nationalities.  Furthermore, we urge the government to begin an inclusive dialogue with the full participation of all opposition and ethnic groups towards genuine and lasting national reconciliation.  We continue to call on the United Nations to establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma.

The people of Burma are ready for change – real change.  Now is the time for the international community to support them in making that change.