Week 13: 2010 Election Watch (1-7 June)

By Altsean-Burma • June 8, 2010

Developments

On 6 June, the deadline passed for new parties to file registration papers to participate in the elections. Before the deadline, a total of 42 parties – 37 new parties and five existing parties – had filed registration applications.
The SPDC Election Commission approved the registration of seven political parties. To date, the Election Commission has granted final approval to 31 parties to participate in the polls.
In addition to the National Democratic Force, comprised of former NLD members, the SPDC Election Commission has yet to grant tentative approval to three ethnic parties (two Kachin and one Shan) despite the fact that the Election Commission has approved the applications of other parties that had applied later.
At a USDA meeting in Myitkyina, Kachin State, local USDA leader Duwa Mading Zung Ting attempted to discredit the Kachin State Progressive Party by saying it was aligned with the Kachin Independence Organization and did not support the SPDC constitution.

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Reactions

Political parties spoke out about financing and recruiting obstacles:

Rakhine State National Force Chairman Aye Kyaing said that financing problems made it “impossible to complete our work in due course.”
Democratic Party (Myanmar) Executive Secretary Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein said financial issues were overshadowing campaign concerns and the party was “even having difficulties meeting travel expenses.”
Wunthanu NLD Chairman Ye Win said that recruiting party members was difficult because “the idea that engaging in politics means languishing in jail is deeply rooted. […] The people are far too scared to join political parties and engage in politics.”

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This post is in: 2010 Elections