Burma: Commentary on referendum and SPDC's plan

By Ko Htike and posted in The Art Of Patience FREE Burma by Jeg (Hi!)

Authorities were very busy in Marathon collecting the list of above 18 years old people, who are eligible for voting. Meetings were held everywhere for Referendum Commission but Divisional level Authorities were confused of the procedure and those responsible persons from state level were confused too.

They are just conveyors of junta's messages. All Regional Commanders are busy with the forthcoming Referendum as they have no other business to involve with because they were very clearly instructed to organised the winning of the referendum by at least 80% of the votes. Now they are thinking day and night on how to play dirty tricks and bullying citizens to achieve their goal.

Latest instructions from the Referendum Commission are as follow:

1. Ballot box to be placed in open and conspicuous area.
2. To create one enclosure for voter to write the vote (tick or cross).
3. There will be only one ballot box.
4. Ballot is a small sheet of white paper with official seal on one end and other end is empty space for voter to write tick or cross.
5. One polling station for every 1000 voters.

There is still no clear instruction on how to build the polling station and ballot box. Looks like every quarter should make out in any appropriate area and do according to their own idea with own expenses. No budget or allowances so far.

Divisional, District, Township and Village/Quarter level each has to form 15 members Referendum Committee, which included 10 members from government services, 3 from business circle and 2 to be ex-service person (pensioner). So far no news are heard about the involvement of USDA role in this committee yet.

Although all preparation were going on with a lot of threatening at least to the level of Director in government services for supporting them, punishment for those opposing the instruction was still not clear yet.

Another difficulty for those responsible for collecting the voters list was that the polling date is not announced yet so for those around 18 years old born in the month of May are on the margin for eligibility to vote and still can’t put them in the list until the polling date is announced.

One more controversial instruction and which can cause the complication in the future is to issue the Temporary Resident Cards to every person above 18 years old regardless of eligibility to hold the citizenship. In that card, no photo required, blood group not to be mentioned and purpose is only to get the vote from the concerning person. But don’t forget, that since the person is eligible to vote for the constitution, he/she can claim his/her right to become citizenship. Good chances for those people stay in the border area long time waiting for Identification.

What we have learnt from the above information collected is that although a lot of forced instructions and threats were issued illegally by authorities, the system of voting procedures are relatively safe for voters. We need to encourage the frightening but opposing people to go and vote bravely as voting systems are so far safe for them to oppose. Media supports are gravely required to plant the courage in the mind of sincere voters to go ahead confidently. We need to let the people know that voting is much effective and safe for them than absent from doing that. We hereby requesting all concerning parties to involve in this Cross for Country campaign. We need it desperately.