Thu Wei writes to Than Shwe to promulgate election law

by Phanida
Monday, 16 November 2009 21:04

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Thu Wei, the Chairman of the Democratic Party, one of the political parties keen on contesting the forthcoming election, on November 13 sent a letter to junta supremo Snr Gen. Than Shwe, asking for promulgation of the election law soon.

In the letter, which he claimed was personal, he said that he thought it was too late for the election law yet to be enacted and promulgated.

“Since my party has not yet become a legal party, I sent the letter on a personal capacity, making a request on behalf of all other political parties. Compared to previous elections, it’s too late,” Thu Wei said.

Political parties need enough time to prepare to contest the 2010 election. He wrote the letter ‘in order to conduct legal canvassing and organizational work,’ it said.

While the main opposition party the National League for Democracy and its allies, the ethnic nationalities parties, have called for a revision of the controversial 2008 constitution, the Democratic Party has accepted the regime wanting to conduct elections on the basis of the new constitution.

In the 1990 election, the political party registration law was enacted and promulgated 20 months before the election date while the election law was enacted and promulgated 12 months before. But this time, despite many rumours being circulated, the election law has not yet been announced.

Thu Wei (77) also said that to hold the election in a free and fair manner, the contesting political parties should have freedom for organizational work and freedom in issuing statements. The media too should be free, he said.

The party was floated in the last week of June this year with 15 EC members including the daughters of former Prime Ministers of Burma; Than Than Nu, Cho Cho Kyaw Nyein and Nay Yee Ba Swe.

Thu Wei was a journalist and served as a personal assistant to the former Deputy Prime Minister and AFPFL party Vice-Chairman Kyaw Nyein in the 50s.

Similarly veteran politician Thakin Chan Tun also said today that the 2010 election law should have been promulgated and freedom to set up political parties, freedom for organizational work and freedom to campaign should have been granted at least 8-12 months before the polls.

“The freedom to canvass and do party organizational work should be granted in village, township and district levels now. I think it is too late. The parties must mobilize the people in a multi-party democracy system or pluralism,” he told Mizzima.

The NLD, which posted a landslide victory in the 1990 elections, has been severely restricted from organizing party movements and many party members including party leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are still behind bars.

But Senior Gen. Than Shwe said in his 89th National Day address that since the 2008 constitution has been unanimously approved by a ‘nationwide referendum’, the election would be held in 2010 as planned.