In the lead up to the 2010 election, Burma's first elections in the past twenty years, the Union Solidarity and Development party(USDP)has leveraged its state-backed authority and financial capital to intimidate, bribe, and manipulate millions of voters in Burma. Borne from the violent military-led social organization, the Unon Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), the USDP is poised to serve as the new civilian face on the regime's efforts to consolidate and legalize military rule through the election.
election news
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"Burma is at a critical juncture in its history. The transition to a form of civilian government and constitutional rule is underway, however imperfect it may be."
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After the Burmese regime announced the election date on 7th November 2010, political debate increased greatly, both inside and outside Burma.
MAE LA CAMP, THAILAND—Aside from the checkpoints, it could be any village in Thailand. The bamboo houses, bisected by dirt lanes and picturesque streams, are well-tended and strung with brightly-coloured laundry; in dirt-floored cafes, men in Burmese longyi (sarongs) chat over shots of sugary tea and chew betel nut, while nearby stalls stock the latest Thai cosmetics and DVDs. Children, their cheeks daubed with swirls of traditional thanaka face paint, chant lessons in Burmese and English in well-equipped bamboo classrooms.ND-Burma
Network for Human Rights Documentation-Burma (ND-Burma) formed in 2004 in order to provide a way for Burma human rights organizations to collaborate on the human rights documentation process.
The 12 ND-Burma member organizations seek to collectively use the truth of what communities in Burma have endured to challenge the regime’s power through present-day advocacy as well as prepare for justice and accountability measures in a potential transition.
ND-Burma conducts fieldwork trainings; coordinates members’ input into a common database using Martus, an open-source software developed by Benetech; and engages in joint-advocacy campaigns. When possible, ND-Burma also collaborates with other human rights organizations in all aspects of its work.