Burma’s military seized control on Monday after detaining President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Union Election Commission Chairman U Hla Thein, other members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), and civil society leaders in early morning raids. This attempt to undermine the country’s democratic transition has sparked outrage among human rights activists and government officials from around the world.
In response, the National Endowment for Democracy, International IDEA, and other global democracy organizations issued a joint statement calling for Burma’s military to respect the outcome of the national elections held in November 2020, release all detained political and civil society leaders, end the violence, and allow the country to continue on a path of democratic reforms. [Read the full statement on Burma here.]
“Myanmar’s erratic democratic transition has been fraught with challenges,” says the joint statement with a growing number of signatories. “Yet, democracy still offers the best hope to protect human dignity, provide legitimate governance and advance the freedom of all people. We express our solidarity with the people of Myanmar and affirm our unwavering support for their democratic aspirations.” [Learn more about NED’s work in Burma here.]
Following our global Call to Defend Democracy, we urge the international community to act decisively to protect democracy in Burma and around the world.
Interested in signing? Contact signupfordemocracy@idea.int to add your name or organization to the growing list of signatories that #DefendDemocracy.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was established in 1983 as a private, nonprofit, grant-making foundation with a mission to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts. With an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress, the NED Board of Directors, which is independent and bipartisan, makes more than 1,800 grants each year to support projects that promote political and economic freedom and participation, human rights, a strong civil society, independent media and the rule of law in more than 90 countries. For more information, visit www.ned.org and follow the conversation on Twitter @NEDemocracy; #defenddemocracy.
Media contacts:
Jane Riley Jacobsen, Senior Director Public Affairs, National Endowment for Democracy [jane@ned.org]
Christine Bednarz, Senior Manager Media Relations, National Endowment for Democracy [christineb@ned.org]
