The United States, Britain, Japan, and other countries have expressed their concern about the dissolution of National League for Democracy (NLD) and other 39 political parties, by the Military Council-controlled Election Commission. The parties were dissolved because they failed to meet the registration deadline for the upcoming election.
“ We are seriously concerned that the exclusion of the NLD from the political process will make it even more difficult to improve the situation. Japan strongly urges Myanmar to immediately release NLD officials, including Suu Kyi (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi), and to show a path toward a peaceful resolution of the issue in a manner that includes all parties concerned”, Japan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Tun Myint, a senior NLD official, told Myanmar Now that only the people can decide whether or not a party should exist, as their existence depends entirely on popular support.
“Registering with the election commission, or whatever reason it is done, is in essence giving credence to the repression and killings by the terrorist military council against the wishes of the people, and siding with them thereby becoming one of their lackeys,” the NUG said in its statement.
Japan has also urged the Military Council to halt aggressive attacks on civilians, which have escalated since the extension of the state of emergency in early February of this year.
Britain’s foreign office criticized the dissolution of the NLD and other parties as an ‘assault on the rights and freedoms’ of Myanmar people.
“The Myanmar military regime’s decision to dissolve 40 political parties, including Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, is a further assault on the rights and freedoms of the Myanmar people”, the office stated.
Britain also condemned the Military Council’s politically motivated actions and use of increasingly brutal tactics to sow fear and repress opposition.
U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel also said that “Any election without the participation of all stakeholders in Burma (Myanmar) would not be, and cannot be considered free or fair”.In addition, he pointed out that organizing an election under the auspices of the Military Council when there is widespread opposition to their rule, could further exacerbate the prevailing instability across the country.
