Week 26: 2010 Election Watch (31 August – 6 September)

Developments

• The Zomi National Congress and the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament decided to boycott the elections.
• SPDC authorities in Dala Township, Rangoon Division, briefly detained an NLD organizer for distributing leaflets that urged people not to vote in the elections. Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) officials forced the closure of businesses owned by All National Races Unity and Development Party (Kayah State) party members and officials.
• The SPDC Election Commission disqualified a National Unity Party candidate in Falam Township, Chin State, because he was a retired Christian preacher.
• The SPDC Karen State Election Sub-commission Chairman said that the Election Sub-commission did not conduct voter education campaigns in Karen State. A member of a Village Election Sub-commission in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, said that Village-level Election Sub-commissions throughout Arakan State were suffering from a shortage of funds.
• An SPDC Ministry of Information official said that Union Solidarity and Development Party candidate leaflets, party campaign brochures, and stickers were produced at state-owned printers.

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Reactions

• Rakhine Nationals Progressive Party President Aye Maung said the party was able to field only 45 candidates instead of the planned 65 “due to financial crisis and insufficient time.”
• Chin National Party General Secretary Ceubikthawng said the party was “disappointed” by the SPDC Election Commission, as the 500,000 kyat (US$500) candidate registration fee was “too much” and the time to submit candidate lists was “also short.
• US State Department spokesperson PJ Crowley said that even though SPDC officials shed their uniforms in order to participate in the polls, “a dictator in civilian clothing is still a dictator.”

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This post is in: 2010 Elections