Week 28: 2010 Election Watch (14-20 September)

By Altsean-Burma • September 22, 2010

Developments

The SPDC Election Commission announced that polls would not be held in 3,314 Villages in Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Mon, and Shan States because “they are in no position to host free and fair elections.”
The SPDC Election Commission rejected the application of 14 Kachin State Progressive Party members to run as independent candidates.
Police in Rangoon’s North Okkalapa Township arrested five university students for distributing leaflets that called for a boycott of the upcoming elections.
The SPDC Election Commission dissolved the National League for Democracy, the Pa-O National Organization, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, the Shan State Kokang Democratic Party, and the Wa National Development Party because they failed to re-register as political parties.
The SPDC Election Commission also dissolved five parties because they failed to register at least three candidates and one party for failing to complete the registration process.
National Democratic Force leader Khin Maung Swe said that the SPDC Election Commission’s decision to significantly increase the number of polling stations for the upcoming elections, as compared to the 1990 elections, would make it impossible for political parties to monitor voting procedures in many parts of the country.

For more developments click here

Reactions

Kachin State Progressive Party General Secretary Tu Raw said that refusal by the SPDC Election Commission to allow 14 KSPP members to compete as independent candidates was “unfair” and that there was “no justice” in Burma.
Democratic Party (Myanmar) Chairman Thu Wai said that restrictions on the freedom of speech are “imposed at the will of the government and the electoral commission,” and that “they can do whatever they like” with regard to enforcing the law.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the SPDC’s dissolution of the NLD and ethnic nationality parties exposed the elections as “a sham process designed to keep the regime in power and deny the Burmese people their right to freely choose their leaders.”
US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell said that “the November elections will be without international legitimacy.”
French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valéro said “conditions do not exist for November 7 elections to be considered democratic and credible.”

For more reactions click here

This post is in: 2010 Elections

Related Posts
Week 35: 2010 Election Watch (2-8 November)
Week 29: 2010 Election Watch (21-27 September)
Week 27: 2010 Election Watch (7-13 September)
Week 24: 2010 Election Watch (17-23 August)
Week 23: 2010 Election Watch (10-16 August)