Human Rights Foundation of Monland’s Assessment on SPDC’s Referendum

June 17, 2008

By HURFOM:

On May 10^th, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) held a referendum on a draft constitution. Unfortunately, before the actual referendum was held, SPDC authorities and the members of government supported civilian groups like the Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA), had manipulated the process to ensure a nation-wide “Yes” vote.

No International Monitoring

Although many in the international community, including United Nations special envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari, demanded international monitoring during the referendum, SPDC leadership refused to accept. The government replied that they could arrange the referendum by its own ways. Since then, many political observers worried that the referendum would not be “free and fair,” and the SPDC could manipulation the process with impunity.

These worries were warranted, as all levels of the referendum holding commissions were formed with SPDC-supporters: representatives from the National Convention that initially drafted the Constitution, retired Burmese Army commanders, appointed village headmen, USDA leaders, and leaders from the Myanmar Women’s Affairs Committees. These commissions were then instructed to win at the polls, by any means.

SPDC officials, members of the referendum holding commissions and of the USDA openly pressured people to vote “Yes,” threatening people with a variety of punishments and attempting to suppress “Vote No” campaigns.

No freedom of expression and threats

The SPDC Referendum Commission decreed to communities in both cities’ wards and villages that they were not to allow people to freely discuss the referendum or the draft constitution in question. Anyone speaking against the referendum was to be detained and imprisoned, and USDA members instructed to closely watch the activities of opposition groups, Buddhist monks and activists.

Open discussion of the constiution was not allowed, and copies of the draft were not distributed in rural areas and smaller communities. In some areas, the authorities and SPDC supporters threatened local villagers. A commission member in Mudon Township told the people that they will have to stay under military rule for their entire life if they did not vote “Yes.” In Southern Ye Township, military authorities from the Southeast Command announced to villagers that they did not want to see any “No” votes in polling stations under their command. If there were any, the villagers were to be punished.

Taking advanced votes

In Mon State, even before May 10 Referendum, the referendum commissions and USDA members already took about 30-35% of advanced votes from the elderly persons, disable persons, government servants, fire fighters, USDA members, and absent migrant workers abroad in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Village referendum commissions and USDA village leaders went house-by-house and collected advance votes.

The ballots used in advanced voting were already filled out in favor of the referendum, and the house-by-house campaign served only to fill in the information from each person’s identity card. In some areas, the percentage of votes cast in this fashion reached significant proportions. According to field reports from Mudon Township, 70% of votes in Kawkalwe Village were cast in advance.

Manipulation in poll station

During the election procession, voters were not given freedom to vote as they pleased. According to the rules set down by the regime, commission assistants have the right to “help” people give their votes, allowing them to check every vote as it was cast. Voters already afraid of the repercussions of voting “No” had little choice but to vote “Yes.” According to field reporters, voters in rural areas were more closely watched than voters in larger towns and cities. One voter in [WHERE WAS THIS?] Township reports that though she planned to mark her ballot “No,” an assistant said he would help her and voted “Yes” on her behalf.

Conclusion:

To those who watched the manipulation of the May referendum, it came as no surprise that the SPDC declared an overwhelming victory. The regime planned to win, and gave people little choice. But though the military regime can run the country with manipulated referendums and elections, it will remain difficult for them to get true cooperation from the people. Opposition groups will continue their political campaign against the undemocratic and militarized constitution and regime.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News