Rangoon – The wily Burmese junta, as part of its trick to garner enough ' yes' votes in the referendum to approve the constitution are allowing people to vote in advance  in respective Wards and Village Peace and Development Council (PDC) offices in Shwebo Township.

The voters have to furnish detailed address and ID card numbers when voting in advance.

"The regime's reason is the convenience of voters who have to travel before the scheduled referendum date. But no one is daring to vote 'No' in the advance voting as they must give their ID numbers and address. So all the voters had to vote 'Yes', an official from Shwebo polling station said.

Most of the absentee voters are government staff and those who have to travel before the scheduled date. Some thought of giving 'Yes' votes in advance because it is no different from voting 'Yes' on the scheduled date in the same atmosphere.

Arranging for absentee voting is a dirty trick the junta is resorting to, a retired government employee said.

"You see, when vote counting starts, they can add the pre-arranged 'Yes' votes by the absentee voters. Moreover there will be psychological pressure on other voters because many would have cast the 'Yes' votes in advance, living under the fear of reprisal by the authorities if they abstain from voting and fail to cast 'Yes' votes," he said.

In Taungdwingyi, the local authorities conducted mock voting on 29th April and forced the voters to cast 'Yes' votes. Then they converted all these mock votes to absentee votes later. The local residents are angry with the junta for pulling this trick.