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Mizzima: Tension in Bangladesh elec



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Tension in Bangladesh elections

Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
>From our special correspondent

Dhaka, Sept. 30: The parliamentary elections are to take place in
Bangladesh tomorrow. But nobody knows what will happen on the election
day. There have been reports of pre-poll violence: bomb explosions and
attacks on candidates and election camps. Security has been beefed up
throughout the country with the army tightening its patrolling on the
streets. Vehicles except those of election candidates, foreign observers
and security forces are not allowed to ply on the roads. Even the use of
mobile phone is banned on the election day. Government had declared
national holiday for three days started from yesterday.

The elections are being held under the caretaker government led by
ex-chief justice of Bangladesh. Foreign and local observers are allowed
for a free and fair election. Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)
is among other foreign election observers apart from US-based National
Democratic Institute (NDI) and United Nations/ European Union (EU)
observer missions.

One pro-democracy Burmese activist is among the 29 foreign observers of
the ANFREL and others are drawn from several Asian countries including
Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Sri Lanka
and Nepal. "We always include leaders of Burma pro-democracy movement in
our foreign observer delegations for the election of various Asian
countries. Because we believe that one day there will be a democracy in
Burma and they can utilize these experiences in their country", said Ms.
Somsri Berger who is the ANFERL election monitoring coordinator.

"Our purpose is to strengthen democracy and independent institutions of
both government side and NGO side", said Ms. Somsri Berger. Chairperson
of the ANFREL is former Army supreme commander of Thailand, General
Saiyud Kerdphol.

"Although he was an army general, he became a democrat and he works well
with the NGOs. This is the tendency in South East Asia where a kind of
reconciliation is taking place. If you look into the past, you will see
that democracy and military are in conflict in many Asian countries like
in Burma. But we are now trying to tell the military that they need to
get back to their barracks. And let the people and civil society grow
up. If they want to join, they can join but they should not use the
gun", said Ms. Somsri Berger.

There are total 1935 candidates from 52 political parties contesting for
300 seats. The two main rival parties are the Awami League led by Sheikh
Hasina and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Begun Khaleda
Zia. Though some local people predicts that "this is BNP's time to
rule", one cannot be sure who will win as two parties have equal
strength. There were two highly competitive elections in 1991 and 1996.
While BNP had won in 1991 election, the Awami League succeeded in 1996.



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<b><font size=+1>Tension in Bangladesh elections</font></b>
<p>Mizzima News <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a>
<br><i>From our special correspondent</i>
<p><b><i>Dhaka, Sept. 30:</i> </b>The parliamentary elections are to take
place in Bangladesh tomorrow. But nobody knows what will happen on the
election day. There have been reports of pre-poll violence: bomb explosions
and attacks on candidates and election camps. Security has been beefed
up throughout the country with the army tightening its patrolling on the
streets. Vehicles except those of election candidates, foreign observers
and security forces are not allowed to ply on the roads. Even the use of
mobile phone is banned on the election day. Government had declared national
holiday for three days started from yesterday.
<p>The elections are being held under the caretaker government led by ex-chief
justice of Bangladesh. Foreign and local observers are allowed for a free
and fair election. Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is among other
foreign election observers apart from US-based National Democratic Institute
(NDI) and United Nations/ European Union (EU) observer missions.
<p>One pro-democracy Burmese activist is among the 29 foreign observers
of the ANFREL and others are drawn from several Asian countries including
Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Sri Lanka
and Nepal. "We always include leaders of Burma pro-democracy movement in
our foreign observer delegations for the election of various Asian countries.
Because we believe that one day there will be a democracy in Burma and
they can utilize these experiences in their country", said Ms. Somsri Berger
who is the ANFERL election monitoring coordinator.
<p>"Our purpose is to strengthen democracy and independent institutions
of both government side and NGO side", said Ms. Somsri Berger. Chairperson
of the ANFREL is former Army supreme commander of Thailand, General Saiyud
Kerdphol.
<p>"Although he was an army general, he became a democrat and he works
well with the NGOs. This is the tendency in South East Asia where a kind
of reconciliation is taking place. If you look into the past, you will
see that democracy and military are in conflict in many Asian countries
like in Burma. But we are now trying to tell the military that they need
to get back to their barracks. And let the people and civil society grow
up. If they want to join, they can join but they should not use the gun",
said Ms. Somsri Berger.
<p>There are total 1935 candidates from 52 political parties contesting
for 300 seats. The two main rival parties are the Awami League led by Sheikh
Hasina and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Begun Khaleda
Zia. Though some local people predicts that "this is BNP's time to rule",
one cannot be sure who will win as two parties have equal strength. There
were two highly competitive elections in 1991 and 1996. While BNP had won
in 1991 election, the Awami League succeeded in 1996.
<p>&nbsp;</html>

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