Burmese Language
PM’s party ‘rounds up villagers for vote’
The party headed by the Burmese prime minister and widely tipped to win the 7 November polls has been accused by locals in southern Burma of collecting votes in advance.
Members of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), led by Thein Sein, have been busily campaigning across the country, with only weeks to go until the elections, Burma’s first in 20 years.
But residents of Yaydwinaung village in Tenasserim division say that during campaigning the USDP had rounded up villagers into one house and collected details of each.
“[The USDP campaigners] said it is raining this time of year so the villagers should give them advance votes in case they can’t show up [at the ballot stations during the election time],” said one Yaydwinaung villager. “They filled in forms on the villagers’ behalf and collected their ID card number.”
The USDP’s main rival in Khamaukkyi township, where Yaydwinaung is located, is the National Unity Party (NUP), who came second in the 1990 elections and are also closely affiliated to the ruling junta. The NUP is fielding around 980, while the USDP has more than 1000.
“According to the election laws and regulations, in Aungchanthar village [close to Yaydwinaung] there is a ballot station – station number 79 – and about 300 voters so there is no reason to collect votes in advance there. The law doesn’t approve it, and if it is true, we will file a lawsuit,” said NUP candidate Hla Shwe.
Tensions are already high between the two main contenders for the vote – the NUP has already filed a lawsuit against the USDP alleging foul play in the build up to the polls.
Similar allegations of advanced voting have been levelled at USDP members in Rangoon division. Soe Kyi, from the opposition Democratic Party, told DVB that nearly 40 USDP campaigners were handing out ballot papers with the party’s name on despite no authorisation by the government to do this.
“The USDP campaigners are telling people to tick the vote mark next to their party’s logo on the ballots,” he said. “They also included the logo and the name of our party. They cannot do that without our permission.”
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It is set up carefully arranged by master tactician murderer Than Shwe. Do not vote in this election. BOYCOTT ELECTION. You have already shown the world on behalf of the junta the people`s interest in the election. Than Shwe is very clever to trap all of you into his plan. Then he can show the world that people participate in the election and it is all inclusive. The world measure the legality of this election according to the level of current situation in Burma. They do not count the “Round up villagers for vote” as illegal. It is norm in military ruled Myanmar. The global community only count deserted polling station on the election day. The Boycott by millions nationwide is the greatest fear in Than Shwe`s mind. As soon as polling station are empty, the news will spread like wild fires across the nations across the boundary. Soldiers will come out to join the people. Simple. Boycott. Risk mass arrest rather than military`s slaves. I guarantee that the evil empire will fall as soon as polling station are emptied. BOYCOTT. FOLLOW DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI`S EXAMPLE OF NO VOTE.
And what will a boycott accomplish? At least a vote will get some other parties participating! It’s been a while since active opposition politics. Now there are other parties campaigning. Nothing will change from a boycott. The regime will still collect its votes, and ASEAN will tip its hat to the winning party.
“[The USDP campaigners] said it is raining this time of year so the villagers should give them advance votes in case they can’t show up [at the ballot stations during the election time],” said one Yaydwinaung villager. “They filled in forms on the villagers’ behalf and collected their ID card number.”
This statement clearly shows how corrupt the Government is. It is a Broad Day Light Robbery. Might as well don’t hold the election. What a corrupted and hopeless people
all will vote except NLD party members, nothing gonna change.people are very much afraid to be inside jail, it is better to be military slaves and earn money for the family rather to be in jail starving.time have changed now, exile people get money support from donation but inside burmar people have to work for family, all want food to live.nothing gonna change inside burmar.from 1962 till 2010 all same.