Political Parties start campaigning with handing out leaflets in Rangoon

 

MOEMAKA Reporter, Yangon

13th October 2010

Many campaign leaflets were seen distributed by political parties at the bus stops and public places only 24 days before November election of Burmese regime.

According to local residents from Kyauk-ta-da Township,

"The leaflets were still handed out near Pan-soe-dan bus stop, for candidate of 88 generation student (Union of Myanmar) contesting  at constituency of Kyauk-ta-da Township, yesterday evening ...”

It surprised some of bystanders and passerby and they seemed more ridiculed when they saw the symbol of the party which was similar to the fighting peacock from the flag of Burmese students  union. 

 

Although this is the first time in 20 years to hold the general election in Burma, the National League for Democracy (NLD) stood against and boycotts the election due to various issues of election laws and undemocratic constitution written and approved in 2008 by the Junta.

Some residents told MoeMaKa that the coming election is not being interested by most people and half of residents in Rangoon were not willing to cast the vote.

The Union Solidarity of Development Party (USDP), formerly Union Solidarity of Development Association (USDA) backed by the regime have been preparing and campaigning for the election spending funds and resources owned by the state and the people while other political parties were still struggling with their limited funding and human resources.

The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) military government issued the hardship election laws and procedure of constitutions which caused limited and intimidated support and funding for all competing political parties except their backed USDP Party. Therefore witnesses were saying that the only affordable and safest way to do political campaign for other parties was to handing out leaflets in public places in Rangoon.

(Photo – Picture of leaflet distributed by one of the political party)

Green light to prosecute anti-election proponents

Moemaka Reporter, Yangon,

October 11, 2010

According to the news from Nay Pyi Taw, the generals have given verbal orders to harass, prosecute and condemn anyone who act or say anything even a joke against their 2010 November election. “A formal written law and order may be issued if there are many movements to boycott the election. For the present, this is a verbal order from upper.” said a service from Nay Pyi Taw.

A monk from Mon state and more than ten students were detained for distributing the anti-election statements. Such news had emerged for the past few months. Political activists throughout the country feel that it is improper and unethical to vote in the 2010 election because the underlying laws are flawed and unjust.

Especially the National League for Democracy (NLD) party went to many parts of Burma to voice their concerns. They were urging the Burmese that people have their own rights not to vote in the election as well which granted by constitution.

The verbal order from the generals is to complement or override the traditional ways of persecuting politicians and activists. In the past 20 years or so, thousands of democracy activists were jailed using unjust laws and verbal orders given along the chain of command. According to the critics of Burmese political scene, the recent verbal order by the generals is another blatant violation of human rights violation.