Rangoon – In yet another attempt at rigging the referendum the junta is issuing ballot papers which have already been ticked 'Yes' to voters in the second phase of the referendum to approve the draft constitution.
Officials and staff of Ward level Peace and Development Council (PDC) are distributing the ballot papers from door-to-door starting last evening. On one side the 'Yes' vote has already been ticked and on the rear it has space for names and addresses of voters.
The officials told voters that they would have to bring their identity cards along with them and could vote either on May 23 or 24.
"The 'Yes' vote has already been printed. It is indelible," a voter who has received the ballot paper said.
The local authorities have imposed restriction of movement on the voters on May 21 and told them not to travel outside their townships before the poll date fixed on May 24.
"The people living in townships in which polling will be held on May 23 and 24 are restricted from travelling outside their respective townships," cars equipped with loudspeakers manned by police and officials announced.
Despite severe criticism from all quarters, the junta will hold its second phase of the nationwide referendum tomorrow in these worst-hit areas of 40 townships in Rangoon Division and seven townships in Irrawaddy Division.
The referendum has been held in the rest of the country on May 10 this year. The junta announced that the constitution has been approved by the 92.4 per cent of the total votes cast. It is said that there has been widespread vote rigging and forced voting in its favour in the whole country.
The ICRC issued a statement which says Cyclone Nargis which struck Burma on May 2 and 3 killed over 100,000 people and affected 2.5 million.
The main opposition party the National League for Democracy (NLD) has rejected the official result of the nationwide constitutional referendum.
As they have already got over 92 per cent 'Yes' votes, the constitution can be easily approved even if all the remaining five million voters from Rangoon and Irrawaddy Division cast 'No' votes in tomorrow's referendum.
