Mizoram ruling party urges free, fair elections in Burma

Wednesday, 25 August 2010 21:49 Salai Tun

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The ruling party in India’s northeastern Mizoram State said yesterday it would like Burmese elections planned for November 7 to be free and fair.

The state is a vital step in land-trade links between India and Burma and employs more than 50,000 Burmese migrant workers.

The state's Congress party chief spokesman P. C. Lalruata said: “Our party would welcome [the polls] more if they [Burma’s ruling generals] hold these general elections in a democratic way, in free and fair manner. We have much doubt over these elections.”

“The elections will be free and fair if the people can participate freely. But they are not seemingly establishing Burma as a democratic country; it’s looks like a whitewash,” he said.

Despite feeling positive about the holding of elections for the Burmese people after they have been deprived of basic freedoms for many years, Indian politicians believe pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi should be released from house arrest and allowed to participate.

Opposition Mizo National Front party lawmaker Vanlalzawma said: “Political prisoners should be released before the elections or at least … granted participation … from prison. In India, people behind bars can participate in elections. It’s also not good to see that elections are to be held without releasing Aung San Suu Kyi.”

They added that the junta should let the UN monitor the elections to ensure they are free and fair and that the regime should not be above its electoral watchdog, the Union Election Commission.

“The current government needs to be changed and the UN should be allowed to move freely in Burma. The UN does not want military dictatorship, they want only democracy … I want to see [Burma as] a democratic country through free elections. The government must not meddle with the functions of the election commission”, Vanlalzawma said.

However, Congress party lawmaker C. L. Ruala had few illusions about the polls’ fairness.

“They [The Burmese junta] didn’t transfer power to the political party that won a landslide victory in the 1990 general election. I absolutely don’t think it [freedoms in Burma] will be better after the elections, which will be held under the rule of the military regime. The elections won’t be free or fair until they allow free election campaigns.”

As an established and large democratic country, India should not support the Burmese elections, but it was unlikely it would extend its support if the regime held the upcoming elections under undemocratic conditions, party leaders in Mizoram State said.

C. L. Ruala said his party would like to see a better relationship with Burma as its oil and gas were vital for India and that the latter was trying to tip the regional balance of power against China, which also borders Burma.

He added: “India is providing millions of dollars to Burma to alleviate the hardships of the Burmese people, building roads and other communications projects … China is also targeting Burma’s energy resources so that India is trying to do its utmost [to get hold of Burma’s resources] lest China gains a firm and total foothold.”