Myanmar’s pro-democracy party led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi said yesterday opponents of the junta’s proposed constitution were being beaten and intimidated ahead of next month’s vote.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) said six party members had been attacked by unknown people and 20 others detained and tortured in the run-up to the May 10 ballot.
The ruling generals say the vote will be fair and that approval of the charter will usher in multiparty elections in 2010, but pro-democracy activists say it simply entrenches the role of the military, which has ruled since 1962.
PHOTO: AP
The NLD, which has publicly called on people to vote “No,” said it had reported the incidents but the authorities had taken no action to investigate.
“The responsible authorities have never done any investigating, charging or taking any action to ‘uphold law and order’ over those crimes committed against NLD party members,” it said.
Six party members had been attacked and beaten by unknown assailants since the junta announced in February it would hold a referendum on the proposed constitution, it said. One member needed 21 stitches in his head after an assault, which also affected his vision.
Another 20 party members who wore T-shirts printed with the word “No” were recently arrested in the western port town of Sittwe and tortured while being detained for investigation.
The party said the attacks and arrests were intimidation tactics against opponents of the junta-backed constitution. Officials would not comment on the party’s charges.
The junta, however, has said the vote would be held in a “systematic and fair manner,” state media reported yesterday.
Vice-Senior General Maung Aye, the junta’s No. 2, told a passing out parade for army recruits that the military was trying to produce a constitution that would pave the way to democracy, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.
“Comrades, it is the Tatmadaw [military] that is constantly striving for the emergence of a constitution capable of shaping the multiparty democracy system,” the general said on Friday.
“The Commission for Holding Referendum will organize the national referendum in a systematic and fair manner for approving of the draft constitution on 10 May,” he said, adding that the “road map” to democracy would be nearly complete once the constitution was approved.
Maung Aye also appeared to give a veiled warning to opponents of the charter.
“Some dissidents at home and abroad are making attempts to undermine the process of the systematic handover of the state power by the Tatmadaw,” Maung Aye said.
“However, I would like to assert that the Tatmadaw will put in the fore the wishes of the people,” he said.
State media have been giving extensive coverage to junta slogans and activities promoting a “Yes” vote and have not reported on any opposition.
The NLD said on Friday that the generals were doing everything in their power to force a “Yes” vote.
The proposed constitution reserves one quarter of seats in both chambers of parliament for military members.
Voting is already underway at embassies for overseas Myanmar nationals.
The referendum will be the first balloting in Myanmar since 1990, when Aung San Suu Kyi led the NLD to a landslide victory that was never recognised by the junta.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent 12 of the past 18 years under house arrest or in prison, would be barred from running for president under the new constitution because she was married to a foreigner.
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