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'90 poll result no longer valid, sa
Subject: '90 poll result no longer valid, says Burmese junta
90 poll results no longer valid, says Burmese junta
The Asian Age, 8th April 1996.
Bangkok, April 7: Burmas military rulers are gambling on economic
gains of recent years helping to erase memories of political repression
and boost chances for their supporters in future elections, analysts say.
A two-part article on Friday and Saturday in Rangoons state-run news
papers suggested the 1990 elections, won overwhelmingly by pro-
democracy Opposition, could no longer be considered valid. Voters
view as well as the composition of the electorate had changed since in
the interviewing six years and "must be taken into consideration,"
article said.
"The government believes that, by bringing peace and stability to the
country through agreements with ethnic minorities and improving the
lot of the people, it has gained more support," a Rangoon-based
analysts said on Sunday.
Since taking over in 1988, the junta has signed cease-fire agreement
with all but one of 15 ethnic insurgent groups operating in border
areas and has progressively sought to open up the economy.
The junta, officially known as the State Law and Order Restoration
Council, organized general elections in 1990 even though it had
crushed nationwide pro-democracy demonstrations.
The SLORC, which saw itself as the savior of the nation during unrest,
had expected a multi-party coalition post-elections.
But when the Opposition National League for Democracy won a
landslide, the junta refused to accept the result and instead said it
would convene an Assembly of largely hand-picked delegates to draft a
new constitution, promising that fresh elections would be called later.
The Constitutional convention, which began its session in January
1993, still periodically.
The NLD, which had earlier sent delegates to the convention,
withdrew from the Assembly last November, saying it was not
acceptable in its present form. The withdrawal came at the first session
after the release of NLD leader, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi from six years
of house arrest in July.
Last month, the NLD asked the SLORC to convene a legislature based
on the 1990 ballot - a request rejected in the officially-inspired
article
in Burmese press.
"No constitution is in force. No legislature has been continued either.
With which constitution is the legislature to be convened? The election
were held in 1990. It has been nearly six years since," the article said.
Some observers expect the Union Solidarity and Development
Association groups set up around the country in the past two years as a
broad-cased social organization to play an increasingly political role.
The party hold mass rallies supporting the governments military
policies and projects and could, in the view of some, turn into! a
political power base for the SLORC.
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