Editor,
Five years of occupation has shown that America cannot impose democracy on one country. But May 10 may reveal that we can assist elsewhere.
Eastward, as the sun rises, Burma will hold a constitutional referendum on May 10 and, like the sun, its fate may set in the West.
For too long, shadows have cloaked Burma, providing cover for the nation's military rulers who have killed, tortured, imprisoned and enslaved the population en masse.
Gross violations of human rights scar Burma. Yet, the country is an open wound following its September 2007 protests in which 50,000 of its people demanded democracy - 50,000 people in a country where a gathering of more than five is illegal.
Can you imagine? On May 10, Burma's ruling military generals will forcibly make the Burmese people vote in favor of a constitutional referendum, which will entrench military rule.
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Meanwhile, the military generals insult us all by calling the referendum a roadmap to democracy. It is nothing of the sort - public discussion of the proposed constitution's language is not even allowed.
The people are asked for a straight yes or no vote on the constitution. Aided by the barrel of a gun, the vote will overwhelmingly be a yes.
The constitution and its referendum must immediately be denounced by the global community, particularly by the U.S. We actually do have the democracy that the Burmese people want so badly.
Let your voice be theirs and contact your congressional representatives and demand they publicly denounce the constitutional referendum.
Let not a shred of credibility be given to that constitution. We in the U.S. actually do have the chance to assist democracy in Burma if we act democratically ourselves.
Take pride in the fact that we can do it without the use of force. Let us not allow the Burmese people to continue to drag their cloak of shadows.
It is high time light be thrown on Burma.
Jeremy Faulkner
UNM student
