NMSP stands firm on boycotting Burma’s 2010 General Election

Kaowao: October 23, 2010

Sangkhlaburi - New Mon State Party released a statement on October 18 affirming their stand on the upcoming General Election which is to be held on the 7th of November.

Released in the Mon and Burmese languages, the NMSP statement says that the elections in Burma promise little change for national reconciliation among the ethnic nationalities who have struggled for their democratic and ethnic rights for almost 50 years since Ne Win’s military coup in 1962 that established Burman majority rule.

The NMSP spokesperson, Nai Hongsar Born Khai, says, “Even though we stand firmly to oppose the election, we will not go against anyone who wants to vote, we respect the rights of individuals.”

The NMSP’s statement says that the 2010 General Elections will not be free and fair because the pro-junta USDP has access to whatever resources the government is willing to offer to ensure a parliamentary majority of votes while restricting the other political groups from campaigning in the country.

The statement reiterates that there will be no international monitoring or election observers present in the country to oversee any irregularities, in order to hold a real free and fair election in the future, it urges the Mon community to boycott this election.

The Mon umbrella organization, Mon Affairs Union (MAU) is also boycotting the elections and issued a statement in early October.

“The election is one sided and it is not free and fair. The SPDC has banned the main political party, the NLD, in the process. They have also restricted international observers and ignored the UN and the international community’s request for election monitoring” said Nai Layeh Rot, Secretary of the MAU.

On October 20, 2010, the Thai Burma border based Mon Youth Progressive Organization (MYPO) also sent out an open letter calling on the people to boycott the election.

“We send this open letter for the youth who use the Internet inside Burma and to the migrant workers in Thailand who will contact their relatives back home urging them not to vote. Our slogan is: “Don’t prolong the SPDC regime because of your vote” and “Your rights are not to vote”, said Chairperson of the MYPO, Ms. Ai Sorn to Kaowao.