Junta collects details from parties to contest 2010 election

Junta collects details from parties to contest 2010 election
by -
Myint Maung
Officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs contacted several political organizations on Thursday inquiring about their status in terms of preparation and organizing for the ensuing 2010 general elections...

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs contacted several political organizations on Thursday inquiring about their status in terms of preparation and organizing for the ensuing 2010 general elections.

A few organizations, which will contest the junta's planned 2010 general election, said the officers from the Home and Information Ministry had come to them and collected details of their groups including the name of their party and members strength among other details.

Ye Tun, a member of '88 Generation Students and Youth (Union of Burma)', a junta-backed group, which had announced that it will contest the 2010 elections, said officials from several Ministries including Defence and Information had come to them and have taken details of their group.

"…the officials from Defence, Information and other Ministries contacted us and they took details about our organization," Ye Tun said.

He said, the officials asked them about the number of members, executive committee members and their organizational strength. The officials also inquired about the constituent areas, number of villages and places they have visited during campaign.

"I think they wanted to know our situation. They came this morning," he added.

The '88 Generation Students and Youth Organization (Union of Myanmar)' said they are vigorously campaigning in various places including Magwe, Pegu, and Mandalay Divisions and Arakan, Mon and Karen States.

The group said, the junta is likely to declare the Political Parties Registration Law and Election Law soon.

Ye Ko, a member of 'Wunthanu National League for Democracy (Union of Myanmar)' based in Mandalay, another pro-junta group, said while they are gearing up to contest the elections, they are waiting for the government to announce the Election Law before carrying out campaigning.

"As the election commission has not started its work, we cannot start our work," he said.

Meanwhile, Ohn Lwin, the spokesman of the 'Students of Modern Political Science', another pro-junta organization, said they have begun campaigning in Rangoon and Irrawaddy Divisions.

He said, they were also asked by authorities about the situation of their groups, including details of their work, membership and areas that they have covered during their campaign.

He said their group is eagerly waiting for the election law to be announced, saying, "We'd like to see the election law as early as possible so that we can do whatever we want to sooner."

According to Mizzima's unconfirmed list, another pro-junta organization – the National Unity Party – is campaigning in Kachin, and Chin state and Mandalay, Irrawaddy, and Sagaing divisions.