On Thursday, people in Manila demonstrated against planned elections in Burma for later this year. At a rally at the Burmese Embassy, the activists urged the incoming Philippine administration to take a firmer stand against alleged human rights violations in Burma.

[Egoy Bans, Spokesperson, Free Burma Coalition]: (English)          
"It is with high hopes that we expect the incoming administration of the president-elect to push for credible elections in Burma, to push for the minimum conditions to have a truly honest and fair election in Burma, and the release of political prisoners, cessation of hostility against ethnic minorities and an all-inclusive review of the constitution."

The protesters were mostly from labor groups and human rights organizations.

They demanded the immediate release of political prisoners in Burma, including democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest.

They also condemned recently passed election laws prohibiting prisoners like Suu Kyi from joining the polls.

[Egoy Bans, Spokesperson, Free Burma Coalition]: (English)          
"We know that the roadmap to democracy as offered by the military junta is farcical. It only, like the elections that they are planning, it only hopes to entrench military's rule in the impoverished country."

Burma’s junta-led government has yet to announce a date for this year's elections, but they haven’t been held in 20 years.