May 12, Democratic Voice of Burma
Junta continues dirty tricks as Burma votes - Aye Nai
Voters in Burma's national referendum on 10 May have re****ted widespread
vote-rigging and manipulation as authorities used underhand tactis to
secure approval for the military regime´s draft constitution.
In Bago division, Thararwaddy town****p's National League for Democracy
chairman U Aung Myint said farmers from villages in the region had been
denied their right to vote in the referendum by Village Peace and
Development Council and Unions Solidarity and Development Association
officials.
"Residents of villages far from the town such as Nga Phyu Lay, Magyi Kwin,
Taung Whay Shae, Koemeenin, Yaydwingone and Kywechaninn did not even have
to go to the ballot stations as their village authorities and USDA
officials had already cast 'Yes' votes on their behalf," Aung Myint said.
A member of the Tharawaddy NLD organising committee said around 700
employees of the Tharawaddy dish factory had to cast 'Yes' votes in
advance of the referendum as directed by government authorities.
He also said 'Yes' votes from about 150 members of the town****p police
force and their family members were collected since before the referendum.
In Nyaunglaybin town****p, also in Bago division, voters said officials had
already ticked the 'Yes' boxes on their ballot papers when they turned up
to vote.
"We were disappointed to find out that the ballot station officials had
already ticked 'Yes' on our ballot slips and we demanded an explanation
from them," one Nyaunglaybin resident said.
"They said it was only an error."
A resident of Myinchan town****p, Mandalay division, said authorities had
announced over loudspeakers ahead of the referendum that those who voted
'No' would be sent to Naypyidaw and imprisoned.
In Kyone Pyaw town****p in Irrawaddy division, residents were handed ballot
papers already marked 'Yes' by polling station officials and told to put
them in any of the three ballot boxes.
The referendum is due to be held on 24 May in the remaining town****ps in
Rangoon and Irrawaddy divisions that were worst hit by the recent cyclone.
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