Advance 'Yes' votes collected in cyclone-hit areas

by Huaipi

Friday, 23 May 2008 22:58

The Burmese military junta is at it again with gusto and local authorities in 47 cyclone-hit townships, where the referendum will be held tomorrow, are flocking to voters' homes and collecting 'Yes' votes in advance. There are no polling stations in Kandawlay Ward in Mingalartaungnyunt Townships. Junta officials in this area are collecting advanced 'Yes' votes visiting door-to-door and not surprisingly all 'No' votes cast by some voters are being discarded. "They came and forced us to vote this way. When I cast my vote as I wished, they put aside my vote and it was thrown away on the road later," a man who voted in advance of the polling date tomorrow said. The local Peace and Development Council (PDC) Chairman and a staff member from No. 3 Ward, Bogale Township are also collecting votes in advance and told voters to come and cast their votes tomorrow. "A local official and a staff member came to our home and told us to cast the 'Yes' votes. They said that we could go tomorrow if we don't want to vote right now but we must turn up," a local woman resident said.  There are nine Wards in Bogale and the authorities are busy putting up polling booths. In the rural areas in Bogale Township, there will be no polling stations and the local authorities will come and collect the votes at the door of voters, a local resident said. The authorities visited cyclone victims whose houses were destroyed and distributed one pyi (about 2 Kgs) of rice to each household and persuaded them to cast the 'Yes' vote. A local official asked a girl who came to collect the rice being distributed, 'Do you know me', and the girl replied 'Yes, from the TV'. The official smiled and told her, 'Please cast the 'Yes' vote', a local resident from North Okkalapa said. The referendum propaganda music titled 'Let's go to the polling station and cast the 'Yes' vote' is being played continuously in Lanmadaw Township at the Ward level PDC office. "No one is interested in polling. My friends said that they won't go to the polling stations tomorrow and some said they would scribble nonsense on the ballot papers," a local resident said. "Let's remind all of you to come to the polling station to be opened at the school tomorrow from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.", the local PDC officials made this announcement using loudspeakers at about 10 a.m. in Laydaungkan village in South Dagon Township. "Cyclone victims have no interest in the polling as they are preoccupied with their daily hardships in terms of food, shelter and clothing. They said they don't understand the constitution and the polling," a member of the 'Human Right Defender and Promoters' (HRDP) in Bogale Township, who is now helping the cyclone victims said. < Prev   Next >