World history is a testimony to the fact that the military rulers’ craving for power never allows democracy to take deep roots. Sadly, Myanmar is no exception. The democratic voices across the world rightly wanted Myanmar, also known as Burma, to look at India, the largest democracy, as a model as it unfolded its roadmap for elections. But to the discomfort of all pro-democracy voices, the military rulers of Myanmar chose to look at its giant eastern neighbor, China, for inspiration in place of its eastern neighbor, India. The world wants the military junta of Myanmar to free all political prisoners, who number more than 2000 before the November 7, 2010 elections and ensure their participation. However, the junta remains unmoved and is adamant to hold elections under an oppressive law, which bars all those convicted by courts from contesting the elections. If this was not enough, the military junta left the pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi led National League for Democracy party with no option but to boycott the elections. Critics have rightly called the November 7 elections a sham designed to cement the military rule.
It was exactly 20 years that the people had overwhelmingly voted in favour of Suu Kyi led National League for Democracy party in 1990. However, people’s mandate was subverted and the military usurped the power. The military junta has kept Suu Kyi under house arrest for more than 14 years. The Myanmar elections can not gain legitimacy without the participation of Suu Kyi, whose term for house arrest is expiring
on November 13, few days after the elections. It is rightly a big asking from the military junta to expect the world to give their stamp of approval to elections without the participation of Suu Kyi and her party.
A brief mention of the oppressive Political Parties Registration Law, which is exclusive in nature, will explain why the world community is livid at the military junta. This law excludes electoral participation by any member of a political party who has been convicted in court. This law called for Suu Kyi's party, NLD, to choose between honoring her as its leader and risking the party being declared illegal, or removing her from the party and contesting the elections. Naturally, the party chose to boycott the elections. Further, a 2008 constitution adopted under the junta's roadmap reserves 25 percent of parliamentary seats for the military and says more than 75 percent of the lawmakers must approve any amendments to the charter. Also, members of religious orders are barred from taking part in the elections. If they were not enough, tight rules have been laid down for campaigning, thus prohibiting parties from chanting, marching or saying anything at rallies that could tarnish the country's image. The critics have rightly pointed out that free and fair elections can not take place without a free media and expression.
However, the November 7 elections are all set to see a limited participation of political parties, which mostly belong to ethnic groups in the country. Forty political parties have registered to contest the elections, and six others are awaiting approval. Several of the parties are also linked to the military. A breakaway faction of the Suu Kyi led NLD has registered itself as a new party under the name “National Democratic Force” with Khin Maung Swe as its leader. Ironically, this party has adopted the symbol of a “Bamboo Hat”, which was the symbol of the NLD in the 1990 elections, though with a minor addition of two stars above the hat. However, Suu Kyi has expressed dissatisfaction through her lawyer with the breakaway party.
The world leaders have been exerting pressure on the South-east Asian grouping ASEAN to persuade Myanmar, a member country, to ensure free and fair elections. It is under this context that despite the sfated
policy of ASEAN not to intervene in the domestic affairs of the member countries, Vietnam, who chairs the group this year, issues a statement stating that the ASEAN encourages Myanmar to further accelerate progress in the implementation of the roadmap for national reconciliation and democracy.
The foregone conclusion is that the November 7 elections will be dominated by the USDP under the leadership of Prime Minister Thein Sein, who has relinquished his army rank. It is important here to mention that the junta’s powerful mass movement, the USDA (union solidarity and development association), has now been disbanded and its assets transferred to the USDP, having the manpower of 24 million.
The western world has been unreasonably looking upon India to exert pressure on Myanmar to hold free and fair elections. Such an expectation was raised again when Myanmar’s Head of State, Senior General Than Shwe, visited India from 25 to 29 July 2010. However, it is important to point out that such an expectation is unreasonable, given the kind of role being played by China in perpetuating the military rule in Myanmar.
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