<p>Paris-Bangkok, 30 March 2012. In the lead-up to the by-elections on 1 April, which are already marred by irregularities and censorship,[1] rights groups have stressed that key benchmarks have not yet been met.&nbsp; The international community must press for urgent steps to meet these benchmarks and to initiate substantive reforms without delay.</p>

<p>On 30 March, Senior-General Than Shwe officially dissolved the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to make way for the new Union Government, but the formal handover of power from the SPDC to the current military-dominated government appears to be no more than an effort to maintain the status quo. The Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB) strongly denounces the new government in Burma and cautions that the military dictatorship remains in full force despite its thinly veiled civilian fa&ccedil;ade.</p>

<p>On 26 September, three years will have passed since Burma&rsquo;s military regime began its bloody crackdown on the Saffron Revolution. The spirit of the monk-led Saffron Revolution that moved hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life, particularly young generation of Burma to hold protests throughout the country and inspired hundreds of solidarity events around the globe.</p>