MYANMAR/FILE: Political parties in Yangon start campaigns ahead of a general election on November 7, the first election in two decades

Record ID: 345504

  • Title: MYANMAR/FILE: Political parties in Yangon start campaigns ahead of a general election on November 7, the first election in two decades
  • Date: 7th October 2010
  • Summary: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, MYANMAR (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (FILE - 1989) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI BEING SURROUNDED BY HER SUPPORT DURING ELECTION CAMPAIGN
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD0S9GJBUANSM5YP2DPHJD3XR1
  • Story Text: Myanmar's political parties started their campaign for upcoming elections on Tuesday (October 5) a month ahead of its general election, the first in two decades, which will be held on November 7.
    The members of the National Unity Party (NUP), the runner-up to the National League for Democracy (NLD) in 1990, marched to Yangon's market to hand out leaflets to introduce the candidates and encourage people to vote.
    Although most people say the elections are a plot by the ruling generals to stay in control while appearing to promote democracy, people are urged to cast their ballots next month.
    "After we distributed the leaflets, we experienced many improvements. There are quite a lot of people who agree with us. They accepted us willingly and told us they will vote for us. There were many people like them. We only found out while campaigning. We would not know if we did not campaign," said Kyaw Nyunt, NUP's candidate.
    The military-ruled Myanmar told citizens that they would be irresponsible if they did not vote in a November election, a poll seen as a sham by many, especially with the main opposition party of NLD not running.
    Ordinary citizens seem baffled in the face of the new constitution and 42 parties eligible to field candidates.
    Some parties have submitted only three candidates, the minimum required by the Election Law. In contrast, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) set up by the junta, will contest all 1,163 seats.
    "In the era when we are moving towards democracy, our people lack sufficient knowledge. So we have to remind them that they have a duty to vote," said USDP candidate Kyaw Soe.
    The NLD led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the last election by a landslide, in 1990, but was denied the chance to rule by a junta that used unexplained constitutional technicalities to keep her and the NLD out of office.
    Many experts and people on the ground believe the window of opportunity for an opposing force to win the support of Myanmar's people and replicate the NLD's 1990 feat is fast closing.
    Polls will be held nationwide to elect civilian representatives for legislative assemblies, or "Hluttaws", at national and regional levels, for five-year terms. At least 27 million of Myanmar's 50 million people are eligible voters.
    Myanmar's complex and verbose constitution, which few Burmese admit to having read, appears to be a blueprint for cementing the military's grip on power, with recently retired generals poised to win scores of parliament and senate seats, in addition to the 25 percent quota reserved for serving soldiers.
    Restrictive election laws and steep registration fees mean pro-democracy parties will present no challenge to two well-heeled pro-military parties, whose lawmakers are sure to choose a powerful army-backed president whose policies and ministerial appointments will sail through parliament.
    But even with the generals still at the helm, analysts expect they will initiate some reforms -- perhaps self-serving -- in the resource-rich country's ailing economy after decades of mismanagement, and corruption.
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