Myanmar Regime Confirms Planned Election This Year
In a message to mark the 62nd anniversary of Burma/Myanmar’s independence, the military regime’s Senior General Than Shwe confirmed his plans to hold a general election this year. “Presuming that the election really does take place at some point in 2010, it will be the first in Burma since 1990, when the military refused to recognize the landside victory of the opposition. Than Shwe did not specify an election date, nor did he indicate when the election law would be announced to the public. This is troubling because it flies in the face of calls from the United Nations, ASEAN, the United States, and others to prepare the way for an inclusive and fair election, and to release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. The longer the delay in announcing the election law, the less time opposition parties will have to prepare for campaigning and voter education activities. Without the full participation of opposition and ethnic nationality groups in the political process, the outcome will not be credible," says Suzanne DiMaggio, Asia Society’s Director of Policy Studies and the Director of the Society’s Task Force on U.S. Policy Towards Burma/Myanmar.
Suzanne is in New York. To arrange an interview, please contact the Asia Society communications department at 212-327-9271 or [email protected].