Elections in Burma in 2010: Than Shwe

Monday, 04 January 2010 19:04 Salai Pi Pi

New Delhi (Mizzima) - On the 62nd anniversary of Burma’s Independence Day today, the Burmese junta supremo Senior General Than Shwe reiterated the regime’s plan to hold election this year.

Meanwhile the National League for Democracy has stuck to the demand for amendment of the 2008 constitution.

The State Newspaper ‘New Light of Myanmar’ published on Monday, reported that Than Shwe in his message on Independence Day on January 4, confirmed that the election would take place and told the Burmese people to exercise the right choice.

“Plans are under way to hold elections in a systematic way this year. In that regard, the entire people have to make correct choices,” Than Shwe said.

The junta supremo also urged the Burmese people to make an all out effort to develop and achieve the so called disciplined democracy in the country in accordance with the new constitution which had been forcibly approved days after Cyclone Nargis devastated Burma’s delta areas.

“The State’s seven-step Road Map designed for emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed nation is the sole process for transition to democracy. The programme is in the process of being implemented step by step,” he said.

Meanwhile, the main opposition party the National League for Democracy held a separate ceremony in their headquarters to mark the country’s independence in 1948 after 63 years of British rule.

The NLD, which is still undecided about contesting the election, reiterated its demand for national reconciliation and urged Than Shwe to have a face-to-face talk with Aung San Suu Kyi to solve the country’s problems and work for betterment of the Burmese people.

“It is necessary to have national reconciliation and unity to address political, social and economic problems faced Burmese people in the country,” Khin Maung Swe, spokesperson of the NLD told Mizzima on Monday.

“Only after talks between Than Shwe and Aung San Suu Kyi happen will the rest of the political problems be solved,” he added.

Khin Maung Shwe said NLD is still standing by the ‘Shwegondaing’ Declaration which calls for reviewing and amending the 2008 constitution, releasing all political prisoners including party Chairman U Tin Oo and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, recognizing the 1990 election results and engaging in dialogue with the opposition.

Win Min, Burmese analyst based in Thailand said, Than Shwe’s message had indirectly encouraged the Burmese people to vote for a military backed political party likely to be participating in the election.

“It is very simple that he [Than Shwe] wants the people to support military backed political party during the election,” Win Min told Mizzima.

Win Min said, the Burmese military regime is planning to form a political party comprising some leaders of the Union of Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), which is the biggest civil organization supported by the junta in Burma, including General Secretary Htay Oo before the election.

Than Shwe is the patron of USDA with an estimated membership of over 20 million. Most members are students who were said to be forcibly enlisted.

The Burmese regime had chalked out a seven-step road map after it refused to honour the result of the 1990 election which Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s party National League for Democracy (NLD) had won by over 82 percents.

The regime is still reluctant to fulfill the call of the international community including the United Nations for the immediate release of detained Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners and to hold the election in an inclusive, free and fair manner.

Win Min said, despite the election being around the corner, the Burmese regime is still delaying announcement of the election law with the intention not to give opposition parties sufficient time for election campaign.

“They are delaying it [election law] in order to catch opposition parties napping. So, the parties which will participate in the elections will not get enough time to organize election campaigns,” he said.

Link : http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/3313-elections-in-burma-in-2010-than-shwe.html