Burmese people are not fully paying attention in the first election in 20 years as they see it's a magical show of the junta prolonging its power grid in cunning means. People hate China at the same time for supporting the inhumane junta and exploiting the natural resources of their country.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says repeatedly there's still time for Burma's military rulers to make upcoming elections more credible by freeing all political prisoners.
"It's not too late, even now," Ban said on 29 October on the sidelines of an Asian summit in Vietnam. "By releasing all political prisoners, Myanmar (Burma) authorities could help or pave the way for a national reconciliation."
Anyhow, Burmese people are disappointed on hearing Mr. Ban's assertion. For his demands are turning into softer one after another. First Ban called for meaningful political dialogue and then called all inclusive political process for democratic change in Burma. Now, he is calling just release of political prisoners ahead of the 7 November polls. But, he did not encourage leaders of the world not to honor the junta's poll result as it is totally unfair. The scenario of the junta-sponsored elections is too clear to see the truth. It is just a magic show to mislead the international community. It doesn't deserve to honor at all.
Burma is setting up for November 7 polls that critics have dismissed as a charade due to the exclusion of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party. The junta has announced that democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi may be freed after November 7 elections, as it attempts to avoid a salvo of criticism over the discredited polls.
If Mr. Ban, as well as world leaders, carefully observed the junta's 2008 constitution, they can obviously find the real aim of the current military regime. The junta's 7-step-roadmap will be fulfilled after this November 7 election. The real aim is that the military regime will restore the status quo.
As a matter of fact, the UN and the ASEAN must strike a chord of warning that they will not honor the 2010 election result of the Burma's military regime as the procedures are totally unfair.
Junta's Foreign Minister Nyan Win hinted the release of Aung San Suu Kyi at Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) talks. There were cautious responses to Nyan Win's vague speech. The regime has detained Suu Kyi for 15 of the past 21 years. Yet the United States accused Burma of "craven manipulation" of its election.
"We were told that she will have completed her term of imprisonment by the first 10 days, probably, after the elections," ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan told reporters on Thursday (28 Oct). Nevertheless, average citizens do not believe the makeup news on Suu Kyi's release because it seems the usual double-crossing trap by the junta.
Many critics are skeptical, saying the regime has made promises of the release of Aung San Suu Kyi for reconciliation in the past without honoring them. The junta has often stated that it would respect democratic values, but has repeatedly refused to let its opponents participate freely in the political process.
Human rights groups estimate that around 2,200 political prisoners remain in custody in the junta's dungeons, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Putting the opposition in prison and banning the media from covering the elections, one cannot say these elections are free, fair and inclusive. The Philippines says the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will be damaged if next month's elections in military-ruled Myanmar or Burma are a sham.
The regime says it is a key step toward democracy, but critics say the polls are designed to make stronger military power. Aung San Suu Kyi's party, who won a landslide victory in the 1990 election but was not allowed to take office, is now calling for an election boycott.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said on Saturday (October 30) that flawed elections 'will cost ASEAN not only goodwill but its own position. They are also putting at risk ASEAN itself'.
Information coming up from the 17th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Hanoi say the Burmese representatives have been beleaguered by ASEAN counterparts to add some credibility to the country's November 7 election.
However, except for Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natelegawa, his Philippines counterpart Alberto Romulo and President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino III, ASEAN leaders have held their tongue about the upcoming controversial voting in Burma.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
