Week 10: 2010 Election Watch (11-17 May)

By Altsean-Burma • May 19, 2010

Developments

NLD members in Mandalay, Sagaing, and Magwe Divisions distributed leaflets that urged people not to vote in the upcoming elections.
SPDC Election Commission Chairman Thein Soe said that SPDC PM Thein Sein is legally allowed to form a political party to contest the upcoming elections.
One new political party filed registration papers to participate in the upcoming elections. To date, a total of 37 parties – 32 new parties and five existing parties – have filed registration applications.
To date, the SPDC has granted tentative approval to 28 new parties and granted final approval to five parties to participate in the polls.
The SPDC Mandalay and Rangoon Division Election Commissions held election trainings for members of Division, District, and Township sub-commissions.

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Reactions

Philippines Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said it was no longer necessary to send monitors to observe the elections because they were “fraudulent and a farce.”
All Mon Region Democracy Party Chairman Nai Ngwe Thein said that “[P]articipating in the elections does not mean that we are going to be the government’s slaves and do whatever the government wants. We are going to raise our voice for our people in the parliament.”

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This post is in: 2010 Elections