Burmese general election, 2010
Encyclopedia
A general election was held in Burma (officially Myanmar) on 2010, in accordance with the new constitution
which was approved in a referendum
held in . The date of the election, 7 November, was announced by the SPDC on .
The general election forms the fifth step of the seven-step "roadmap to democracy
" proposed by the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC) in 2003, the sixth and seventh steps being the convening of elected representatives and the building of a modern, democratic nation, respectively. However, the National League for Democracy
boycotted the election.
The Union Solidarity and Development Party
declared victory, after at least two opposition parties conceded. The United Nations and Western countries have condemned the elections as fraudulent.
will be unable to contest the election, but since her husband is deceased, she would not appear to be barred on this basis. The United Nations
, members of ASEAN and Western nations have insisted that the elections will not be credible without the participation of Suu Kyi.
The National League for Democracy
(NLD) had set a number of conditions for participating in the poll, including changes to the constitution to reduce the army's influence, international supervision for free and fair polls, and freeing all political prisoner
s including Suu Kyi. Senior General Than Shwe
, leader of the ruling military junta
, has pledged to release political prisoners in an amnesty
before the election, though he has not stated when this would occur. On 2009, Suu Kyi was sentenced to imprisonment for three years with hard labour over a trespass incident. This sentence was commuted by the military rulers to further house arrest of eighteen months. The NLD later announced they would not take part in the election due to the election laws.
Key ministries including justice, defence and the interior will remain under the control of the military and under the 2008 constitution, a quarter of the 440 parliament seats will be reserved for the military officials. People holding military positions are not permitted to contest the election; as such, 20 members of the junta, including Prime Minister Thein Sein
, retired from their posts to participate in the election.
The second law bans anyone currently serving a prison term from belonging to a political party, and therefore over 2,000 political prisoner
s will not be able to participate, possibly including Aung San Suu Kyi (depending on whether her house arrest is deemed to fall under the definition of "serving a prison term"). The Political Parties Registration Law also bars members of religious orders, members of insurgent groups 'as defined by the state' and foreigners from joining political parties. This separation of Buddhism and politics is a long-standing feature of Burmese politics, dating back to before independence, and was incorporated in the 1947 independence Constitution at the request of the monkhood.
The other laws stipulate that anyone currently serving a prison term is barred from running or voting in the elections for the upper and lower houses. A 224-member House of Nationalities will have 168 elected candidates and 56 nominated by the military chief, while the 440-member House of Representatives will have 330 elected civilians and 110 military representatives. At the same time, the results of the 1990 elections
were annulled as they did not comply with the new election laws.
The new laws have been described as a "farce" by the Philippines
and a "mockery" by the United States.
The National League for Democracy
, which overwhelmingly won the previous 1990 elections
but were never allowed to take power, decided not to participate. Nonetheless, some senior members have formed the National Democratic Force
to contest the elections, claiming that a boycott would play into the hands of the government.
The government has established the Union Solidarity and Development Party
, the successor to the mass organization Union Solidarity and Development Association
, which claims to have around half the population as members. The National Unity Party
, which contested the 1990 election
as the main pro-government party and won 10 seats, has also registered to run. Reuters estimates that six parties in total are allied to the government.
The new Democratic Party
, established by Mya Than Than Nu, the daughter of former Prime Minister of Burma, U Nu
and Nay Ye Ba Swe, the daughter of former Prime Minister Ba Swe, is aiming to take part in the election. Mya Than Than Nu will run as General Secretary of the party. Media coverage of the party has been banned by the military government.
Another new party is being formed comprising members of a ceasefire group and a party that won seats in the 1990 elections. Five former members of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and five members of Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) together with five other Mon elites, who make up the new party, founded a 15-member committee and later announced that they are not going to participate in the upcoming election.
The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
, a Shan political party that came second in the 1990 election, is participating in the election as the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party.
The SPDC has not answered opposition calls to amend the 2008 constitution or state clearly how the electoral process will be managed and the terms that new political parties can organise. In a speech to military retirees, Than Shwe said that the transition to a parliamentary system meant various parties with different opinions would appear, but he warned that the new parties should "avoid anything that leads to harming state interests".
The constituencies available for contesting are 330 civilian seats in the House of Representatives (out of 440) and 168 civilian seats in the House of Nationalities (out of 224). The remaining seats are designated for military officials and to be selected by the military chief.
During an East Asian summit in Vietnam, Foreign Minister Nyan Win
confirmed Than Shwe
would not be running in the election.
(4.08% of village-tracts), Shan State
(10.69%), Kayah State
(11.93%), Kachin State
(16.60%), and Kayin State
(47.25%). The only unaffected state is Chin State
.
and China, due to alleged government repression, poverty and low-level ethnic conflict
. Ceasefires between the military government and ethnic groups were also deteriorating.
In the run up to the election, there were several bomb blasts in Burma. A bomb attack on the Burmese New Year
killed at least nine people in Yangon
and injured many others, including the regional commander of the Burmese Army, while a series of explosions were reported at a hydroelectric project being jointly built by a Chinese company in the north of the country, the latter thought to be the work of anti-government groups.
has expressed concern about the fairness of the election and United Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon
expressed "grave concern" that Aung San Suu Kyi would not be released before the election and thus it would "lack credibility." He accused the government of being "slow and incomplete" to meet political commitments, and said it was "deeply frustrating" that the government would not hold talks with the "international community."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, commented on the election during Than Shwe's visit to China. "The international community can provide constructive help [for the elections] and refrain from any negative impact on the domestic political process of Myanmar and on regional peace and stability."
The following day, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to the US Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on State and Foreign Affairs where she mentioned that the trial against Aung San Suu Kyi was allegedly "baseless charges." She also added that the government was "continuing resistance to a free and open electoral process. If they stay on the track they're on, their elections in 2010 will be totally illegitimate and without any meaning in the international community." She admitted that "We are absolutely committed to trying to come up with an approach that might influence the regime. We are going to try to do our best to influence them to see that this repressive regime is not one that we should continue to support, and hopefully get a greater international base to take action against them." She claimed to have support from other countries, "I have been heartened by the response that we have received. I have spoken to a number of the foreign secretaries of ASEAN countries, who've issued strong statements." She added that she was working to get more support in the United Nations.
UK Foreign Minister William Hague
said that "holding flawed elections does not represent change."
reported that independent local observers were reporting "widespread voter intimidation and bribery" in the election.
The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) took 80% of the seats that were up for election. The two largest opposition party, the National Democratic Front and the Democratic Party (Burma) conceded defeat, however, along with four other opposition parties, filed formal complaints about fraud with the election commission.
On November 11, state radio announced the results for 147 constituencies in the Lower House, with the USDP winning 133. The USDP won 81 of 86 races newly announced for the Upper House.
The new and previously announced results show the USDP gained majorities in both houses of parliament: 190 out of the 219 (86%) seats announced for the 330-seat lower house, and 95 out of 107 (88%) seats announced for the 168-seat upper house.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
claimed voting conditions had been "insufficiently inclusive, participatory and transparent."
The People's Republic of China's Foreign Ministry said the election was "a critical step for Myanmar in implementing the seven-step road map in the transition to an elected government, and thus is welcome."
India was conspicuously silent with segments of the Indian media questioning whether principle gave way to expediency.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
welcomed the vote and characterized it as a "step forward in the democratisation of Burmese society."
During a speech to the Indian parliament, US President Barack Obama
said of the election that "When peaceful democratic movements are suppressed – as in Burma – then the democracies of the world cannot remain silent ... It is unacceptable to steal an election as the regime in Burma has done again for the world to see."
(House of Nationalities) were up for election. The results by party were:
(House of Representatives) were up for election. The results by party were:
was questioned in light of the election. Prior to the election, she was regarded to be "the icon of the country's struggling democracy movement" outside the country. It was asked that following the election: "How much power and reach would she still have to rally her followers barely a week after the south-east Asian nation's first general election in two decades?" One such reason was because the NLD's boycott may have failed if it does not play the right cards in dealing with at least a semblance of an elected opposition in a "semi-legitimate" parliament. Pending her release from jail, the political atmosphere would have changed because of a new military leadership that may not be as "cosmopolitan" and "practical" in dealing both with her and external players. The British ambassador to Myanmar, Andrew Heyn, also said: "What they the junta
do when Suu Kyi is released will send a message. She is well informed and committed and wants to stay involved."
(DKBA) and government forces in Myawaddy
by the Thai border. The fighting spilled over to the town of Three Pagodas Pass
with reports that the DKBA had seized the town from the military. According to some reports, the DKBA planned the action in the towns of Myawaddy and Three Pagodas Pass to take advantage of the deployment of the military for election monitoring. Many voters in the area, fearing an attack, stayed away from the polls.
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest on November 13, despite a court ruling quashing her release. She then said there were no regrets over her party's boycott of the election. In order to have change, she said, "The people have to want it, and they have to be united."
Constitution of Burma
The Constitution of Burma ) has changed several times since the country became independent from the United Kingdom. Burma's third and current constitution was published in September 2008 after a referendum.-1947 Constitution:...
which was approved in a referendum
Burmese constitutional referendum, 2008
A constitutional referendum was held in Burma on 10 May 2008 according to an announcement by the State Peace and Development Council in February 2008. According to the military government, the new Constitution of Burma will ensure the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy"...
held in . The date of the election, 7 November, was announced by the SPDC on .
The general election forms the fifth step of the seven-step "roadmap to democracy
Roadmap to democracy
Burma's roadmap to democracy , announced by General Khin Nyunt on 30 August 2003 in state media, provided a seven-step process in restoring democracy in the country...
" proposed by the State Peace and Development Council
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
(SPDC) in 2003, the sixth and seventh steps being the convening of elected representatives and the building of a modern, democratic nation, respectively. However, the National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
boycotted the election.
The Union Solidarity and Development Party
Union Solidarity and Development Party
The Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and...
declared victory, after at least two opposition parties conceded. The United Nations and Western countries have condemned the elections as fraudulent.
Background
Article 59F of the new constitution bars from the Presidency (not public office in general) people who are married to citizens of states other than Myanmar. Some commentators claim that this means Aung San Suu KyiAung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
will be unable to contest the election, but since her husband is deceased, she would not appear to be barred on this basis. The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, members of ASEAN and Western nations have insisted that the elections will not be credible without the participation of Suu Kyi.
The National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
(NLD) had set a number of conditions for participating in the poll, including changes to the constitution to reduce the army's influence, international supervision for free and fair polls, and freeing all political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s including Suu Kyi. Senior General Than Shwe
Than Shwe
Senior General Than Shwe is a Burmese military leader and politician who was chairman of the State Peace and Development Council from 1992 to 2011. During the period, he held key positions of power including commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and head of Union Solidarity and...
, leader of the ruling military junta
Military junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
, has pledged to release political prisoners in an amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
before the election, though he has not stated when this would occur. On 2009, Suu Kyi was sentenced to imprisonment for three years with hard labour over a trespass incident. This sentence was commuted by the military rulers to further house arrest of eighteen months. The NLD later announced they would not take part in the election due to the election laws.
Key ministries including justice, defence and the interior will remain under the control of the military and under the 2008 constitution, a quarter of the 440 parliament seats will be reserved for the military officials. People holding military positions are not permitted to contest the election; as such, 20 members of the junta, including Prime Minister Thein Sein
Thein Sein
Thein Sein is a Burmese politician and military figure who has been president of Myanmar since March 2011. Previously, he was Prime Minister from 2007 until 2011...
, retired from their posts to participate in the election.
New election laws
The first of five election laws was announced in March 2010, concerning the creation of an election commission. The Union Election Commission Law states that the military government will appoint all members of the commission and have the final say over the election results. Members of the commission must be "an eminent person, to have integrity and experience, to be loyal to the state and its citizens". A 17-member election commission was later named, headed by a former military officer.The second law bans anyone currently serving a prison term from belonging to a political party, and therefore over 2,000 political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s will not be able to participate, possibly including Aung San Suu Kyi (depending on whether her house arrest is deemed to fall under the definition of "serving a prison term"). The Political Parties Registration Law also bars members of religious orders, members of insurgent groups 'as defined by the state' and foreigners from joining political parties. This separation of Buddhism and politics is a long-standing feature of Burmese politics, dating back to before independence, and was incorporated in the 1947 independence Constitution at the request of the monkhood.
The other laws stipulate that anyone currently serving a prison term is barred from running or voting in the elections for the upper and lower houses. A 224-member House of Nationalities will have 168 elected candidates and 56 nominated by the military chief, while the 440-member House of Representatives will have 330 elected civilians and 110 military representatives. At the same time, the results of the 1990 elections
Burmese general election, 1990
General elections were held in Burma on 27 May 1990, the first multi-party elections since 1960, after which the country had been ruled by a military dictatorship...
were annulled as they did not comply with the new election laws.
The new laws have been described as a "farce" by the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and a "mockery" by the United States.
Political parties
Parties are required to have at least 1,000 members to participate in the election and had to register by . 40 parties have been approved by the Electoral Commission to contest the elections, some of which are linked to ethnic minorities.The National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
, which overwhelmingly won the previous 1990 elections
Burmese general election, 1990
General elections were held in Burma on 27 May 1990, the first multi-party elections since 1960, after which the country had been ruled by a military dictatorship...
but were never allowed to take power, decided not to participate. Nonetheless, some senior members have formed the National Democratic Force
National Democratic Force
The National Democratic Force is a Burmese political party formed by former members of the National League for Democracy , who chose to contest the 2010 general election in Burma . The party's chairman is Than Nyein. Its headquarters are in Tamwe Township, Yangon.The party was among three major...
to contest the elections, claiming that a boycott would play into the hands of the government.
The government has established the Union Solidarity and Development Party
Union Solidarity and Development Party
The Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and...
, the successor to the mass organization Union Solidarity and Development Association
Union Solidarity and Development Association
The Union Solidarity and Development Association was a Burmese organisation formed by Myanmar's ruling military junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council , on 15 September 1993. The USDA comprised 1 Headquarters, 17 State and Division Associations, 66 District Associations and 320...
, which claims to have around half the population as members. The National Unity Party
National Unity Party (Burma)
The National Unity Party is a political party in Burma . It was formed by the military junta as well as members of the Burma Socialist Programme Party to take part in the general election of May 27, 1990. The party was defeated by the National League for Democracy. NUP's headquarters are in Bahan...
, which contested the 1990 election
Burmese general election, 1990
General elections were held in Burma on 27 May 1990, the first multi-party elections since 1960, after which the country had been ruled by a military dictatorship...
as the main pro-government party and won 10 seats, has also registered to run. Reuters estimates that six parties in total are allied to the government.
The new Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Burma)
The Democratic Party is a Burmese political party founded in 1988. It was formally registered in May 2010, with headquarters in Pazundaung Township, Yangon. It is contesting the 2010 general election in Burma. DP's chairman is Thu Wai, a former political prisoner...
, established by Mya Than Than Nu, the daughter of former Prime Minister of Burma, U Nu
U Nu
For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...
and Nay Ye Ba Swe, the daughter of former Prime Minister Ba Swe, is aiming to take part in the election. Mya Than Than Nu will run as General Secretary of the party. Media coverage of the party has been banned by the military government.
Another new party is being formed comprising members of a ceasefire group and a party that won seats in the 1990 elections. Five former members of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and five members of Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) together with five other Mon elites, who make up the new party, founded a 15-member committee and later announced that they are not going to participate in the upcoming election.
The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy is a political party in Myanmar , representing the interests of the Shan minority. At the last parliamentary elections held on 27 May 1990, under the leadership of Khun Htun Oo, the party won a clear representation, became the second party in parliament,...
, a Shan political party that came second in the 1990 election, is participating in the election as the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party.
The SPDC has not answered opposition calls to amend the 2008 constitution or state clearly how the electoral process will be managed and the terms that new political parties can organise. In a speech to military retirees, Than Shwe said that the transition to a parliamentary system meant various parties with different opinions would appear, but he warned that the new parties should "avoid anything that leads to harming state interests".
The constituencies available for contesting are 330 civilian seats in the House of Representatives (out of 440) and 168 civilian seats in the House of Nationalities (out of 224). The remaining seats are designated for military officials and to be selected by the military chief.
During an East Asian summit in Vietnam, Foreign Minister Nyan Win
Nyan Win
Nyan Win is the Chief Minister of Bago Region. He won a Regional Hluttaw seat in an uncontested election in 2010, representing Zigon Township, and was appointed Chief Minister of the region on 30 March 2011. Prior to his election, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, having been...
confirmed Than Shwe
Than Shwe
Senior General Than Shwe is a Burmese military leader and politician who was chairman of the State Peace and Development Council from 1992 to 2011. During the period, he held key positions of power including commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces and head of Union Solidarity and...
would not be running in the election.
Contesting political parties
- Mro or Khami National Solidarity Organization (MKNSO)
- National Unity PartyNational Unity Party (Burma)The National Unity Party is a political party in Burma . It was formed by the military junta as well as members of the Burma Socialist Programme Party to take part in the general election of May 27, 1990. The party was defeated by the National League for Democracy. NUP's headquarters are in Bahan...
(NUP) - Lahu National Development Party (LNDP)
- Kokang Democracy and Unity Party (KDUP)
- Pa-Oh National Organisation (PNO)
- Democratic Party (Burma)Democratic Party (Burma)The Democratic Party is a Burmese political party founded in 1988. It was formally registered in May 2010, with headquarters in Pazundaung Township, Yangon. It is contesting the 2010 general election in Burma. DP's chairman is Thu Wai, a former political prisoner...
(DPM) - Kayan National Party (KNP)
- Rakhine State National Force of Myanmar (RSNF)
- Kayin People's Party (KPP)
- Wa National Unity Party (WNUP)
- Union of Karen/Kayin League (UKL)
- Taaung (Palaung) National Party (TPNP)
- All Mon Region Democracy Party (AMRDP)
- Democracy and Peace PartyDemocracy and Peace PartyThe Democracy and Peace Party is a Burmese political party registered in May 2010, with headquarters in Pabedan Township, Yangon. It is contesting the 2010 general election in Burma. DPP's chairman is Aung Than, a high court attorney and a member of the League for Democracy and Peace , a political...
(DPP) - Shan Nationalities Democratic PartyShan Nationalities League for DemocracyThe Shan Nationalities League for Democracy is a political party in Myanmar , representing the interests of the Shan minority. At the last parliamentary elections held on 27 May 1990, under the leadership of Khun Htun Oo, the party won a clear representation, became the second party in parliament,...
(SNDP) - United Democratic Party (UnitedDP)
- 888 Generation Student Youths (Union of Myanmar, 8GSY)
- Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics (UMNPF)
- National Political Alliances League (NPAL)
- Democratic Party for Myanmar New Society (DPMNS)
- Chin National Party (CNP)
- Wuntharnu NLD (Union of Myanmar, WNLD)
- Modern People Party (MPP)
- Union Democratic Party (UnionDP)
- Peace and Diversity Party (PDP)
- Chin Progressive Party (CPP)
- Inn National Progressive Party (INPP)
- Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP)
- Wa Democratic Party (WDP)
- Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party (PSDP)
- National Democratic Party for Development (NDPD)
- Union Solidarity and Development PartyUnion Solidarity and Development PartyThe Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and...
(USDP) - Ethnic National Development Party (ENDP)
- Myanmar Democracy Congress (MDC)
- Mro National Party (MNP)
- Kaman National Progressive Party (KNPP)
- Khami National Development Party (KNDP)
- National Democratic ForceNational Democratic ForceThe National Democratic Force is a Burmese political party formed by former members of the National League for Democracy , who chose to contest the 2010 general election in Burma . The party's chairman is Than Nyein. Its headquarters are in Tamwe Township, Yangon.The party was among three major...
(NDF) - Regional Development Party (Pyay, RDPP)
- Unity and Democracy Party of Kachin State (UDPKS)
Campaign
Campaigning was low-key for the first election in 20 years.Cancelled election
The election has been cancelled in parts of Mon StateMon State
Mon State is an administrative division of Myanmar. It is sandwiched between Kayin State on the east, the Andaman Sea on the west, Bago Region on the north and Tanintharyi Region on the south, and has a short border with Thailand's Kanchanaburi Province at its south-eastern tip. The land area is...
(4.08% of village-tracts), Shan State
Shan State
Shan State is a state of Burma . Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total...
(10.69%), Kayah State
Kayah State
Kayah State is a state of Myanmar. Situated in eastern Myanmar, it is bounded on the north by Shan State, on the east by Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, and on the south and west by Kayin State. It lies approximately between 18° 30' and 19° 55' north latitude and between 94°40' and 97° 93' east...
(11.93%), Kachin State
Kachin State
Kachin State , is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is . The capital of the...
(16.60%), and Kayin State
Kayin State
Kayin State is a state of Burma . The capital city is Hpa-an.-History:The region that forms today's Kayin State was part of successive Burmese kingdoms since the formation of the Pagan Empire in mid-11th century...
(47.25%). The only unaffected state is Chin State
Chin State
Chin State is a state located in western Burma . The Chin State is bordered by Rakhine State in the south, Bangladesh in south-west, Sagaing Division and Magway Division in the east, Indian state of Manipur in the north and Indian state of Mizoram in the west. The Chin ethnic group make up the...
.
Violence
There have been concerns from aid agencies that the upcoming election could see a growing number of refugees fleeing to ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and China, due to alleged government repression, poverty and low-level ethnic conflict
Internal conflict in Burma
The internal conflict in Burma is a term that is employed to refer to the current violence in Burma that has existed since approximately April 1948 between the Burmese government and the various ethnic groups in the country. More recently, the conflict has been against the military regime that has...
. Ceasefires between the military government and ethnic groups were also deteriorating.
In the run up to the election, there were several bomb blasts in Burma. A bomb attack on the Burmese New Year
Thingyan
Thingyan is the Burmese New Year Water Festival and usually falls around mid-April . It is a Buddhist festival celebrated over a period of four to five days culminating in the new year...
killed at least nine people in Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
and injured many others, including the regional commander of the Burmese Army, while a series of explosions were reported at a hydroelectric project being jointly built by a Chinese company in the north of the country, the latter thought to be the work of anti-government groups.
International response
The United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
has expressed concern about the fairness of the election and United Nations Secretary-General
United Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
expressed "grave concern" that Aung San Suu Kyi would not be released before the election and thus it would "lack credibility." He accused the government of being "slow and incomplete" to meet political commitments, and said it was "deeply frustrating" that the government would not hold talks with the "international community."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, commented on the election during Than Shwe's visit to China. "The international community can provide constructive help [for the elections] and refrain from any negative impact on the domestic political process of Myanmar and on regional peace and stability."
The following day, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to the US Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on State and Foreign Affairs where she mentioned that the trial against Aung San Suu Kyi was allegedly "baseless charges." She also added that the government was "continuing resistance to a free and open electoral process. If they stay on the track they're on, their elections in 2010 will be totally illegitimate and without any meaning in the international community." She admitted that "We are absolutely committed to trying to come up with an approach that might influence the regime. We are going to try to do our best to influence them to see that this repressive regime is not one that we should continue to support, and hopefully get a greater international base to take action against them." She claimed to have support from other countries, "I have been heartened by the response that we have received. I have spoken to a number of the foreign secretaries of ASEAN countries, who've issued strong statements." She added that she was working to get more support in the United Nations.
UK Foreign Minister William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
said that "holding flawed elections does not represent change."
Monitors
Burma barred foreign observers and the international media from the election. The election commission chief, Thein Soe, did add, however, that diplomats and representatives from UN organisations in the country would be allowed to observe the election. He justified the decision saying "We are holding the election for this country. It's not for other countries ... We will have credibility after holding the election in front of all the people."Election
The election was held amid tight security. Initial reports pointed to a light turnout across the country, possibly as low as 20% in some areas, and the possibility of irregularities. The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reported that independent local observers were reporting "widespread voter intimidation and bribery" in the election.
The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) took 80% of the seats that were up for election. The two largest opposition party, the National Democratic Front and the Democratic Party (Burma) conceded defeat, however, along with four other opposition parties, filed formal complaints about fraud with the election commission.
On November 11, state radio announced the results for 147 constituencies in the Lower House, with the USDP winning 133. The USDP won 81 of 86 races newly announced for the Upper House.
The new and previously announced results show the USDP gained majorities in both houses of parliament: 190 out of the 219 (86%) seats announced for the 330-seat lower house, and 95 out of 107 (88%) seats announced for the 168-seat upper house.
Reactions
Than Nyein, the chairman of the National Democratic Force, claimed the election was marred by irregularities. "We have our evidence. Some candidates complained ... because there was vote cheating." Khin Maung Swe, the leader of the opposition National Democratic Force alleged: "We took the lead at the beginning but the USDP later came up with so-called advance votes and that changed the results completely, so we lost."UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
claimed voting conditions had been "insufficiently inclusive, participatory and transparent."
The People's Republic of China's Foreign Ministry said the election was "a critical step for Myanmar in implementing the seven-step road map in the transition to an elected government, and thus is welcome."
India was conspicuously silent with segments of the Indian media questioning whether principle gave way to expediency.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Sergey Lavrov
Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov is the Foreign Minister of Russia. Prior to that, Lavrov was a Soviet diplomat and Russia's ambassador to the United Nations from 1994 to 2004. Lavrov speaks Russian, English, French and Sinhala....
welcomed the vote and characterized it as a "step forward in the democratisation of Burmese society."
During a speech to the Indian parliament, US President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
said of the election that "When peaceful democratic movements are suppressed – as in Burma – then the democracies of the world cannot remain silent ... It is unacceptable to steal an election as the regime in Burma has done again for the world to see."
Results
The final results were announced by the Myanmar Union Election Commission on 17 November 2010.Results for the Amyotha Hluttaw
168 of the 224 seats in the Amyotha HluttawAmyotha Hluttaw
The Amyotha Hluttaw is the upper house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 224 member of which 168 are directly elected and 56 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Amyotha Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
(House of Nationalities) were up for election. The results by party were:
| No | Party | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Union Solidarity and Development Party Union Solidarity and Development Party The Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and... |
76,79% | 129 |
| 2 | Rakhine Nationalities Development Party Rakhine Nationalities Development Party The Rakhine Nationalities Development Party is a political party in Myanmar , representing the interests of the Rakhine people in Rakhine State and Yangon Region. The party contested 44 seats, of which it won 35... |
4,17% | 7 |
| 3 | National Unity Party National Unity Party (Burma) The National Unity Party is a political party in Burma . It was formed by the military junta as well as members of the Burma Socialist Programme Party to take part in the general election of May 27, 1990. The party was defeated by the National League for Democracy. NUP's headquarters are in Bahan... |
2,98% | 5 |
| 4 | National Democratic Force National Democratic Force The National Democratic Force is a Burmese political party formed by former members of the National League for Democracy , who chose to contest the 2010 general election in Burma . The party's chairman is Than Nyein. Its headquarters are in Tamwe Township, Yangon.The party was among three major... |
2,38% | 4 |
| 5 | Chin Progressive Party | 2,38% | 4 |
| 6 | Shan Nationalities Democratic Party | 1,78% | 3 |
| 7 | All Mon Region Democracy Party | 1,78% | 3 |
| 8 | Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party | 1,78% | 3 |
| 9 | Chin National Party | 1,19% | 2 |
| 10 | Wa Democratic Party | 0,60% | 1 |
| Other Party | 4,17% | 7 | |
| 100% | 168 | ||
| 56 | |||
| 224 | |||
Results for the Pyithu Hluttaw
330 of the 440 seats in the Pyithu HluttawPyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw is the lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 440 members of which 330 are directly elected and 110 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Pyithu Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
(House of Representatives) were up for election. The results by party were:
| No | Party | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Union Solidarity and Development Party Union Solidarity and Development Party The Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and... |
78,48% | 259 |
| 2 | Shan Nationalities Democratic Party | 5,45% | 18 |
| 3 | National Unity Party National Unity Party (Burma) The National Unity Party is a political party in Burma . It was formed by the military junta as well as members of the Burma Socialist Programme Party to take part in the general election of May 27, 1990. The party was defeated by the National League for Democracy. NUP's headquarters are in Bahan... |
3,64% | 12 |
| 4 | National Democratic Force National Democratic Force The National Democratic Force is a Burmese political party formed by former members of the National League for Democracy , who chose to contest the 2010 general election in Burma . The party's chairman is Than Nyein. Its headquarters are in Tamwe Township, Yangon.The party was among three major... |
3,64% | 12 |
| 5 | Rakhine Nationalities Development Party Rakhine Nationalities Development Party The Rakhine Nationalities Development Party is a political party in Myanmar , representing the interests of the Rakhine people in Rakhine State and Yangon Region. The party contested 44 seats, of which it won 35... |
2,72% | 9 |
| 6 | All Mon Region Democracy Party | 0,91% | 3 |
| 7 | Pa-O National Organization | 0,91% | 3 |
| 8 | Chin National Party | 0,61% | 2 |
| 9 | Chin Progressive Party | 0,61% | 2 |
| 10 | Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party | 0,61% | 2 |
| 11 | Wa Democratic Party | 0,61% | 2 |
| 12 | Unity and Democracy Party of Kachin State | 0,30% | 1 |
| 13 | Kyain People Party | 0,30% | 1 |
| 14 | Inn Nationalities Development Party | 0,30% | 1 |
| 15 | Taaung (Palaung) National Party | 0,30% | 1 |
| Other Party | 0,61% | 2 | |
| 100% | 330 | ||
| 110 | |||
| 440 | |||
Analysis
The relevance of Aung San Suu KyiAung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
was questioned in light of the election. Prior to the election, she was regarded to be "the icon of the country's struggling democracy movement" outside the country. It was asked that following the election: "How much power and reach would she still have to rally her followers barely a week after the south-east Asian nation's first general election in two decades?" One such reason was because the NLD's boycott may have failed if it does not play the right cards in dealing with at least a semblance of an elected opposition in a "semi-legitimate" parliament. Pending her release from jail, the political atmosphere would have changed because of a new military leadership that may not be as "cosmopolitan" and "practical" in dealing both with her and external players. The British ambassador to Myanmar, Andrew Heyn, also said: "What they the junta
Military junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
do when Suu Kyi is released will send a message. She is well informed and committed and wants to stay involved."
Aftermath
The following day clashes erupted between the Democratic Karen Buddhist ArmyDemocratic Karen Buddhist Army
The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army is a breakaway group of Buddhist former soldiers and officers of the Karen National Liberation Army , one of the larger insurgent armies in Burma...
(DKBA) and government forces in Myawaddy
Myawaddy
Myawaddy is a town in south-eastern Myanmar in Kayin State close to the border with Thailand. Separated from the Thai border town of Mae Sot by the Moei River, the town is most important trading point between Myanmar and Thailand....
by the Thai border. The fighting spilled over to the town of Three Pagodas Pass
Three Pagodas Pass
The Three Pagodas Pass is a pass in the Tenasserim Hills on the border between Thailand and Burma , at an altitude of above sea level....
with reports that the DKBA had seized the town from the military. According to some reports, the DKBA planned the action in the towns of Myawaddy and Three Pagodas Pass to take advantage of the deployment of the military for election monitoring. Many voters in the area, fearing an attack, stayed away from the polls.
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest on November 13, despite a court ruling quashing her release. She then said there were no regrets over her party's boycott of the election. In order to have change, she said, "The people have to want it, and they have to be united."
External links
- Burma Election 2010 – The IrrawaddyThe IrrawaddyThis article is about a newsmagazine. For other uses of the term, please see Irrawaddy.For the Second World War battle honour, see Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations...
- Election Information
- http://ictj.org/publication/impunity-or-reconciliation-burmas-transitionPierce, Patrick. Impunity or Reconciliation in Burma's Transition, International Center for Transitional JusticeInternational Center for Transitional JusticeThe International Center for Transitional Justice was founded in 2001 as a non-profit organization dedicated to pursuing accountability for mass atrocity and human rights abuse through transitional justice mechanisms.-Mission statement:...
.] - Election coverage – Mizzima