Week 29: 2010 Election Watch (21-27 September)

By Altsean-Burma • September 29, 2010

Developments

The SPDC Election Commission rejected the transcripts for the TV and radio campaign messages of the Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics, the 88 Generation Student Youths (Union of Myanmar), and the Democratic Party (Myanmar).
The Kachin State Progressive Party announced its formal dissolution after the SPDC Election Commission rejected its registration.
Unidentified people distributed anti-election posters in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathidaung, and Akyab Townships in Arakan State.
Former SPDC Army generals and Union Solidarity and Development Party candidates distributed mobile telephones to influential residents in Naypyidaw’s Zeyathiri, Pobbhathiri, Ottharathiri, Zabuthiri, and Dekkhinathiri Townships.

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Reactions

Northern Shan State Progressive Party member Hkun Htu criticized the SPDC Election Commission’s decision to disqualify him from running as an independent candidate and said that the SPDC “does not want participation of any true Kachin political party or individual in the elections.”
Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics Chairman Aye Lwin said that his party’s uncensored campaign message called for a “civil government elected by democratic principles” and that without it, “human rights will still be denied and democracy will not be established.”
Karenni National Progressive Party military chief Bee Htoo said the elections “will change nothing” and said he expects “a major offensive from Burma’s military shortly after the election.”
In a joint statement, the US and ASEAN called for the elections to be “conducted in a free, fair, inclusive, and transparent manner in order to be credible for the international community.”

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