Published
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 11:08
People tricked into supporting draft constitution
Local Burmese junta authorities in Muse Township on the Sino-Burma border held a mock polling session with the people, after which the mock result for support was sent to the new capital Naypyidaw as the real result, according to Muse sources.
Local Burmese junta authorities in Muse Township on the Sino-Burma border held a mock polling session with the people, after which the mock result for support was sent to the new capital Naypyidaw as the real result, according to Muse sources.
On April 27 to 28, 2008, a former teacher U Win Maung (60) led a group of Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), fire brigade and Red Cross members and held a meeting with the people from Wan Kat and Wan Zan tract. He taught them how to cast the 'Yes' vote.
There were 20 people attending the training at Wan Kat tract, and 30 people at Wan Zan tract. People who attended the training had to show their ID cards before the training started.
The instructors later told the trainees that people who came to vote in this training need not vote on May 10, because all the support votes would be transferred to Naypidaw.
"We didn't know they [local authorities] would trick us. They just explained to us how to vote. Let us practice and then count the ballots in front of us, they explained," a participant told SHAN.
The junta's TV announced on April 9 that the referendum would be held on May 10. Limited copies of the draft constitution have also been made available for public review on the same day. But many people do not know what they are going to vote about.
On April 27 to 28, 2008, a former teacher U Win Maung (60) led a group of Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), fire brigade and Red Cross members and held a meeting with the people from Wan Kat and Wan Zan tract. He taught them how to cast the 'Yes' vote.
There were 20 people attending the training at Wan Kat tract, and 30 people at Wan Zan tract. People who attended the training had to show their ID cards before the training started.
The instructors later told the trainees that people who came to vote in this training need not vote on May 10, because all the support votes would be transferred to Naypidaw.
"We didn't know they [local authorities] would trick us. They just explained to us how to vote. Let us practice and then count the ballots in front of us, they explained," a participant told SHAN.
The junta's TV announced on April 9 that the referendum would be held on May 10. Limited copies of the draft constitution have also been made available for public review on the same day. But many people do not know what they are going to vote about.
