I just left this on the Irrawaddy magazine site:

For Burma, there already is a well articulated vision for Democratic Transition, being put together with the help of international scholars, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (the democratic government in exile) and the NLD (The National League for Democracy). This encompasses a democratic constitution, a constitutional review of the junta's so-called "constitution," economic reform, including money and banking and reforms in the agricultural sector, civil-military relations, an electoral law and system, stopping human rights abuses and freeing all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

See Ko Wild, Interview of U Bo Hla Tint of NCGUB in Mizzima, on line.

I agree the 2010 "election" is nothing but a clever trap set by the Burmese junta.

The democracy side will be damned if it does(participate in the 2010 "election") and damned if it doesn't.  It is unlikely it will transfer power even if NLD wins again, as it did in 1990.

A retired U.S. diplomat once stationed in Burma has said that this time the junta is likely to cheat.

The international community should not treat the 2010 "election" as if it were real.  It's a sham election, not real.

So far things have failed not because the Democracy Movement "has no vision" but because the military government has the guns and the oppressive mechanism.

International donors want to see dialog so groups talk dialog, but in this case it won't work unless the junta really talks too.  So far it has never done so.

Often it does not even see Mr. Gambari nor Mr Ban Ki-moon,the U.N. special envoy and the UN Secretary General.

I wish people would stop blaming the victims. including the NLD and Aung San Suu Kyi.  She and others have given their lives to devote themselves to peaceful transition and many are in prison now.  Many have already died.

What more do people expect of them?

Have you chatterboxes no better idea or nothing better to do?

Comment text copyright Kyi May Kaung