Aung San Suu Kyi and Political Prisoners Banned from Forming and Participating in the Election;
NLD will be Abolished If It will not Re-Register within 60 Days, without DASSK and Imprisoned Party Leaders
Some Points in the Regime’s Election Law
The military regime in Burma announces its “Union Election Commission Law” (State Peace and Democracy Council Law No. 1/2010) and “Political Parties Registration Law” (State Peace and Democracy Council Law No. 2/2010) today. These were published in today newspaper with supplementary pages. Than Shwe signed these Laws.
English version of these Laws will be out soon. Meanwhile, here are some points I would like to highlight.
(1) With the “Union Election Commission Law”, the regime will form the Election Commission soon with those whom they trust. The regime authorizes the Commission to convene the election and gives final decision making power, regarding election postponement, rejection, monitoring, forming sub-commissions, formation of constituencies, compiling list of eligible voters, forming of tribunals to judge election dispute, funding to sub-commissions, etc. It also authorizes the Commission to administer, supervise, and direct the political parties.
(2) With the “Political Parties Registration Law”, the regime bans all monks, nuns, and leaders of other religions, government staff, political prisoners and prisoners, foreigners, members of and those related to unlawful associations and insurgent groups, and drug addicts, from forming of and participation in a political party (Article 4 and 10).
The Article 6 of the Law states that the political parties are to submit a pledge in writing in the application to the Commission, stating that they will abide and protect the 2008 Constitution.
The Article 12 states that any party, which is not able to field at least three candidates in the election, is not allowed to continue to exist. Article 12 also states that the party, which do not dismiss its members, who are not eligible to be party members as described in Article 10, should not be allowed to exist.
The Article 25 states that the existing political parties, such as National League for Democracy (NLD), are required to submit new application to the Commission if they want to continue to exist, within 60 days from the date of announcement of the Law. The Commission will decide whether it will allow or not, according to the Law. If there is no application within 60 days from an existing political party, it is considered that such party is already automatically abolished.
According to this Article 25, NLD has 60 days, from Mar 9, 2010 , to decide whether it will submit an application to the Commission for its continued existence. The Commission may accept or reject its application. As other new parties’ registration, the NLD also needs to make a written pledge, stating that it will abide and protect the 2008 Constitution. If NLD decides to re-register at the Commission, it will be asked by the Commission to exclude DASSK, and other leaders and members who are in prisons, according to Article 4 and 10. Even so, NLD will not be allowed to exist if it does not field at least 3 candidates in the election.
Finally, the regime declares to the world that it will not release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners from prisons, and it will also ban them from forming and participating in any political party. Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners are not only released, but also not allowed to form and participate in the political party. Now, the ball is in the court of the United Nations, United States, and the international community, who have been repeatedly calling for the regime to make a inclusive, free and fair election. I hope they will transform their words into a collective and effective action. The regime already proves that it does not care statements and speeches.
