LETTER: Democracy must begin within political parties

DEAR News Of The Area,

AS someone born in Burma (now Myanmar) I understand the value of democracy in a way that many people fortunate enough to grow up in a democratic country may never experience.

I spent 15 years of my life involved in the struggle for democracy and basic human rights under a military dictatorship.

I witnessed the consequences of power being concentrated in the hands of a few with ordinary people being denied a genuine voice in determining their future.

Many people around the world admire Australia’s democracy.  Having lived under a dictatorship, the ability to have a free and fair vote, to participate openly, speak freely, and seek public office is a privilege that I will never take for granted.

Democracy is a system in which power ultimately belongs to the people or in the case of an organisation – the rank-and-file members.

It requires participation, accountability, fairness, transparency in decision-making, and respect for differing points of view.

When decisions are imposed on the rank-and-file by factional powerbrokers, an organisation ceases to be democratic and starts to look more like a dictatorship.

If democracy is valued, it must not only exist in government institutions but also within the political parties that seek to govern on behalf of the people.

Regards,

Htun Htun Oo (H2O).