Opinions on SPDC's constitutional referendum result

Mizzima News

Friday, 16 May 2008 20:44

(Interview) The National Referendum Convening Commission Chairman U Aung Toe today announced on state-owned radio that 20,786,596 voters cast 'YES' vote out of a total eligible voters of over 22 million in the constitutional referendum held on 10th May 2008 so the percentage of 'YES' vote is 92.per cent. This Referendum Convening Commission was formed with SPDC's handpicked members. Mizzima contacted voters, opposition leaders at home and abroad, and interviewed them for their opinions on the referendum result. We present here their opinions. U Nyan Win (spokesperson – the National League for Democracy) The spokesperson of main opposition party (NLD) flatly rejected this election result.  "This referendum doesn't reflect the people's desire. The referendum without reflecting the people's desire will not be lawful and binding even though the constitution is approved by the referendum. I just want to say this.  NLD has compiled a lot of irregularities in the referendum and is now collecting more facts.  David Taw (Karen National Union – KNU) "It is not surprising getting 93% 'YES' votes in the referendum that they announced. If it was less it would be surprising. Would they say they got 99%? According to the poll watchers present at the polling stations, the voting was not by secret ballots. They forced the voters to cast only 'YES' votes by intimidation and coercion. The voters could not exercise their franchise in a free and fair atmosphere. Though we predicted they would rig the votes we but never thought of such blatant rigging. Everyone knew they would rig the votes".  "They don't need to hold the second phase of the referendum after getting 93% 'YES' votes. I would like to say holding the second phase referendum will be a waste of time and energy and would mean carrying on with the rigging. The general elections to be held in 2010 will be like this referendum; it will not be free and fair election. The people will not accept the unjust and unfairness unleashed on them. They would defy and revolt against the regime one day when the time is ripe, I hope".  Dr. Lian Hmung Sakhong (Ethnic Nationalities Council – ENC) "We knew that the election procedure was not in accordance with the international norms before the referendum was held. It was not in accordance with democratic norms. The junta drafted the constitution for perpetuation of their power and to protect themselves. The junta organized the voters. We cannot accept it. Holding of the referendum is contrary and violates the referendum law that they enacted. The voters could not vote freely".  "They collected advance votes moving door-to-door. Moreover the voters did not need to vote themselves. The head of each household could vote for all the family members by producing his/her National ID card. In this way, the referendum cannot guarantee a fair result. The voters and people cannot claim later that it was an unfair referendum. All the Burmese people in exile protested against the national referendum held by SPDC, it has no fairness at all. The junta persuaded people in their favour and intimidated the government employees in this referendum. They had the referendum supported in this way".  "If they want to win in referendum, they don't need to hold it; they can approve their constitution by firing their guns. I would like to tell the people that your real votes are not reflected in this referendum result".  Nyo Ohn Myint (NLD-Liberated Area) "They should win cent percent vote. I wonder why they didn't get such percentage because they rigged the votes by every means available. This result showed they have no self-confidence in saying that they got cent percent votes in their favour".  "They will rig again in second phase of the referendum to be held on 24th of this month. But it will create a political crisis if I am not wrong. The anger and wrath of the people far and near in Rangoon will burst after there being insulted."  "The current result that they have got is enough for the junta. Snr. Gen. Than Shwe's only wish is to show the whole world that their unilaterally drafted constitution has been approved in the referendum no matter what the vote result is. I think they must pay for the consequences of their action in this referendum in the future".  Tun Myint Aung (88 Generation Students) "Though they called it the referendum, they dif not need to hold it. We have predicted a long time ago that they would say they achieved over 90% 'YES' votes. The referendum is a farce and held in the name of a 'nationwide constitutional referendum'. The people know well about this referendum. They were cheated, they were coerced and they were intimidated and bullied. The people know well how they had to vote in this referendum but not as they wished. The people will certainly respond to this unfairness one day".  "Even if the people had boycotted the referendum, the junta would certainly claim getting over 90% 'YES' votes. But the 'NO' vote campaign among the people could produce one result. The junta realized that the result would not be certain as they wished after hearing about the campaign among the government staff in their offices, as to  how the people were  preparing to vote in their wards and villages. Then they had to choose to rig the votes explicitly".  "For instance, the junta coerced the government employees to cast 'YES' votes not only by them, but also by their entire family members after realizing that they would not get the required result if they didn't do like this. The mindset and phenomenon of the junta has not yet changed, they are still bullying, intimidating and doing and up to dirty tricks. We could expose this phenomenon in this referendum. They intimidated and coerced the people by pointing the families' to pots, prisons and fetters".  "Our people could expose their true nature to the whole world though they could claim winning votes. The entire country knew it because the entire people were cheated by the junta. They wanted to vote 'NO', but they could not exercise their franchise freely. Moreover the 'NO' votes cast by the daring voters were later converted to 'YES' votes. The people would certainly respond to this cheating and unfairness one day".  "The people's struggle cannot be organized and instigated by a single party and single organization. The people's struggle must be organized and participated by the people themselves. When the ruling dictators oppress them by force and repressive laws and orders, when the ruling dictators ignore their livelihood and basic needs, when the dictators are doing for their own interest without considering for the people, the people will not subdue to the mounting pressure unleashed on them indefinitely. They will certainly revolt against the dictators one day when they feel they have no way out. The people know well they have to suffer more natural disasters as long as these irresponsible dictators are in power. The people's struggle will emerge for their own destiny, for the emergence of the people's power and people's government which can guarantee the people's interest. The people's struggle will one day certainly emerge even though there are no party and organization to lead them.  "The announcement of vote results made the people immensely upset and frustrated, because they could not vote in the referendum as they wished to under the tremendous pressure and intimidation. Even though many people cast the 'NO' vote in the referendum, the result was announced as 92.4% 'YES' votes. The people know well how much unjust the referendum was. The people will struggle for their own destiny one day certainly".  "Not only our 88 Gen Students and opposition political parties do not recognize the result of this sham referendum, but the whole people also not recognize the result. The people have no faith and trust in whatever the government does. All the actions of the government are not for the people, they always do evil things to the people. Now, you see how they handle the current natural disaster and international aid and relief operations. The storm victims are in deep trouble. But the SPDC PM said to the Thai PM that they have everything they need. They have no more need. Though they know well that the people are in hunger and desperately need assistance, they are blindly saying everything is OK. How can the people trust the junta?  "We won't recognize their constitution as it is approved by unfair means. This constitution will not take effect as no one accepted and recognized it. The people will not show their respect to this constitution. So the people will not abide by this constitution. The people's struggle will emerge at a certain time".  Aung Naing Oo (Burma Affairs Analyst) He said that he didn't believe in the referendum result announced by the junta and it will lead to a long term crisis in Burma.  "If the government claims more percentage in winning the referendum, the country will face more crises, some said. On the other hand, they can win by such margins, say 60%. Moreover, Than Shwe is eccentric. The current situation is unrealistic. We said that they would claim winning landslide victory as U Ne Win did in 1974 by claiming 95% 'YES' votes. This claim of 92% win is an intimidation of the entire people. They collected almost half of the votes in advance in the whole country. It is impossible to claim such a percentage in the current situation of Burma".  "Our country may face a long term crisis after claiming such a percentage win while many people are on the brink of death in the aftermath of the cyclone".  Win Min (Burma affairs analyst) "It's going too far claiming 93% supporting votes. It's unrealistic and going too far. We can understand if they had claimed 60%-70% vote. The vote rigging is obvious when they claim such a high 93% vote".  "There's no free and fairness in the referendum. It seems a voter could cast two to three votes in referendum. First, as advance vote, second at the polling station, and at other polling stations for the third time".  "Now there's no need to hold referendum in the remaining cities and towns after getting 93% 'YES' votes. They don't need to hold the referendum in the remaining places. There will be no difference. I would like to say to them to focus only on the storm victims and give these survivors food instead of ballot boxes".  A NLD-Youth member (NLD-Lower Burma) "According to the observations taken by the Lower Burma NLD Youth and Upper Burma NLD Youth, it is obvious that the referendum was not free and fair in which violated their own Referendum Law and human rights. So we'd like to say this result doesn't reflect the people's will and desire".  "Holding the referendum in the remaining cities and towns in Rangoon and Irrawaddy Divisions will not make much difference to the current referendum result. But let the ruling officials know what the real people's will and desire is by holding referendum in these remaining areas even though these officials dare not show the result to the voters. The people are in abject poverty and hunger. It is very much unkind and brutal to forcibly hold the referendum in these areas at this time".  A local resident (Kyauktada Township, Rangoon Division) "I don't want to vote anymore. My vote will be useless after they have claimed to have got 92.4% votes. There's no fairness at all in this referendum. We could see the easily collecting advance votes in our neighbourhood. This is sheer unfairness. The votes of the remaining five million voters can make little difference to this 92.4% 'YES' votes. The people have no interest at all in this referendum. Their minds are with the storm victims".  "But they will hold this referendum again on 24th May as pre-planned. I have made up my mind not to go to the polling station on that day. My vote can produce nothing. I'll try to express my will and desire in other ways".  A local resident – 1 (Mandalay) "I was one of the 10 witnesses in vote counting at the Polling Station (1), No. 704, Maw Hla Gyi Ward, Chanayetharzan Township, Mandalay Division. There's no fairness at all. They could even make 100% 'YES' vote and not leave it at 92%".  "The government did as they wished. The ladies of the USDA forced my nieces when they votes by insisting they tick 'YES' even in the voting room which is supposed to be meant for secret voting. This is just one example of how they rigged the votes. Whichever vote we cast, it will certainly be turned to 'YES' vote. I think they don't need to hold the second phase referendum on 24th May".    A local resident – 2 (Mandalay) "This is not a real referendum, just a farce. They have collected advance votes in many areas, and then these votes were turned to 'YES' votes. Moreover the polling station officials forced the voters to cast only 'YES' votes openly in the presence of other voters. Some were forced to cast 'YES' votes by 'Maternity and Children's Welfare Association'. The government backed organizations such as USDA, 'Federation of Women's Affairs' and other women organizations intimidated the voters by wearing their uniforms. These activities made the polling unfair. They don't need to hold the next referendum on 24th May". < Prev   Next >