Elections Marred By Regime’s Campaign Restrictions, Harassment and Lack of Voter Education

“In my region, many people were not interested in the elections, and didn’t know anything about the elections. There was no electoral education and people who knew about elections were afraid of getting into trouble. I don’t think the elections will bring any betterment to people. I see the elections are designed for the military regime.”

– A voter in Sagaing Division

During the elections, the regime took extensive measures to limit election participation at all levels; from restricting political party participation to blocking free flow of information on the elections, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) ensured that they would be able to dominate and control the process from beginning to end. Ethnic parties and ethnic voters were particularly marginalized and suppressed as the Election Commission rejected leading ethnic parties and candidates, security forces hassled ethnic parties, and ethnic voters received little to no electoral education. By limiting such participation, the regime effectively stifled opposition from political parties and the electorate on the day of the polls.[…]

Myanmar after the Elections: A Call for Essential Comprehensive Electoral Reform

In the statement, ANFREL provides recommendations regarding structural changes, voter registration, parties and candidates, campaign period, union election commission, media, and advance voting & the counting process […]

Abuses of Government Authority During Elections Highlight Un-Rule of Law in Burma

“Although we don’t like the USDP, all the villagers including me voted for the USDP since we were ordered by the town authorities to vote for the USDP. We were afraid while we were voting since the authorities were watching on us at the polling station, to see if were voting for them or not.”

– A voter in Shan State

Throughout the elections, the regime exercised gross abuses of authority in a widespread attempt to dominate and manipulate the elections to their advantage. From publically supporting the regime-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), to employing the Union Election Commission to unlawfully influence voters, to forcing vast numbers of voters to support the USDP or face consequences such as fines, demotions, or arrests, the regime was involved in the elections at all levels. The Election Commission’s blatant favoritism highlights the way in which the elections have been structured to further the regime’s plans to entrench military rule. Certainly, the regime’s handpicked Election Commission and undemocratic election laws are indicative of the severe lack of rule of law in Burma – where laws are structured to be used against the people, rather than to protect their rights […]

Burma’s Elections Marked by Violence, Intimidation and Ethnic Inequality

Burma’s November elections took place in an environment marred by widespread violence and intimidation as the regime sought to exploit the pervasive climate of fear in Burma to ensure complete control over the electoral process. Intimidation and threats were carried out in the lead up to the elections, in order to ensure a lack of a viable political opposition and to guarantee ‘popular support’ for regime-backed parties. These threats proved to be largely successful, and when they were not, the regime often followed up the threats with repercussions. Such election related human rights violations took place across the country, but were noticeably worse in ethnic areas, highlighting the regime’s long-standing policy of ethnic discrimination and persecution. This disregard for ethnic rights has translated in heightened tension between ethnic communities and the central regime, and an associated risk of increased armed conflict in ethnic areas.[…]

Week 35: 2010 Election Watch (2-8 November)

Developments

Widespread evidence of electoral fraud, irregularities, threats, harassment, and lack of independent monitoring characterized Election Day and the days leading up to it:

• In the days before the election, local SPDC officials, polling station officials, and Union Solidarity and Development (USDP) members throughout the country solicited advance and proxy votes, in the overwhelming majority of cases specifically for the USDP […]

Week 32: 2010 Election Watch (12-18 October)

Developments

• SPDC Election Commission Chairman Thein Soe said that no foreign journalists or international monitors would be allowed to observe the upcoming elections.
• SPDC Election Commission Chairman Thein Soe said that 3,071 candidates, including 82 independent candidates, will contest the elections […]

Burma’s 2010 Elections: The story so far

This briefer shows that despite the SPDC’s repeated pledges for “free and fair” elections, indicators for election monitoring based on EU, UN, and OSCE guidelines point to the contrary. The SPDC election laws and conduct of the SPDC Election Commission have caused the dissolution of parties that won 84% of seats in the last election, and disenfranchised at least 1.5 million voters […]

Week 31: 2010 Election Watch (5-11 October)

Developments

• Youth activists posted signs that urged people to boycott the upcoming elections in 15 Villages across Arakan State.
• Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) organizers told residents of Shweza Village, Maungdaw Township, Arakan State, that if they did not vote for USDP candidates, they could be fined up to 100,000 kyat (about US$1,000) and serve one year in prison […]

Week 30: 2010 Election Watch (28 September – 4 October)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission rejected the Difference and Peace Party’s transcript for its TV and radio campaign message. It also censored the campaign messages of the All Mon Region Democracy Party, the Chin National Party, and the Shan Nationals Democratic Party […]

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

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) […]