Elections in Myanmar 2010

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The elections in Myanmar (Burma) took place on November 7th 2010 and were the first elections in 20 years. The elections were the fifth step in the government's seven-point program for “disciplined democracy” on August 30, 2003.

Representatives were elected for the lower house ( Pyithu Hluttaw ), the upper house ( Amyotha Hluttaw ) and the parliaments of the provinces and states. In the run-up to the elections, the opposition complained about obstruction and manipulation. According to the United Nations and various human rights organizations, the election was neither free nor fair. International election observers were not allowed.

requirements

On September 14, 2010, the National League for Democracy was dissolved by the Myanmar Electoral Commission after the former waived re-registration for the elections. The new National Democratic Force party was founded by some former members of the National League for Democracy who refused to obey the boycott and who left the National League for Democracy. The official media warned people that the military government would continue if they stayed away from the election for failure. The heads of the NDK emphasized that the election is a step forward towards democracy and have described the boycott as an impractical means . The Party of National Unity ( National Unity Party ) was Myanmar of the socialist program based on the former party U Ne Win reorganized by many of their respective members.

Each candidate had to pay 500,000 kyat (around € 390) to register, a very high sum, the monthly minimum wage is less than € 25. The election laws published in March 2010 stipulated that no one who is in custody or detention may vote in the election. This meant that a number of members of the opposition could not take part in the election, including the chairman of the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi . Sections of the opposition called for a boycott of the election.

elections

29 million eligible voters were registered to vote for 440 parliamentary seats in the Lower House ( Pyithu Hluttaw ) of Parliament. Of these, 110 seats were reserved for representatives of the military. A total of 3,071 candidates from 37 parties stood for election, 82 of them independents, with many parties founded by the military itself. 60,000 polling stations were opened during the elections . The Union Solidarity and Development Party , supported by the military junta , had 1,100 candidates, the military-affiliated National Unity Party 990 and the opposition National Democratic Force 163.

In some districts of Myanmar where the rebels have a strong position, no votes were taken, with about two percent of the electorate being excluded from voting. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hong Lei said that holding the elections successfully would not only serve the interests of the Myanmar people but also promote peace and prosperity in the region.

The elections went off without major incidents. The police showed a clear presence in Rangoon . Only Asian diplomats participated as election observers, for example the ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea . A ninety-day state of emergency was also declared. The incumbent Foreign Minister U Nyan Win was elected in one of the parliaments of the provinces and states of the Union.

Some polling stations were allowed to be watched by independent activists. Some government officials and military personnel reported that they had been forced to vote for the USDP and that ballot boxes were filled early in the morning.

Results

The military junta announced the first results on November 9, 2010. After that, the Union Solidarity and Development Party received 80 percent of the seats. The two opposition parties, the National Democratic Force and the Democratic Party , admitted their defeat and criticized irregularities in the elections. The turnout is estimated at around 60 percent.

259
18th
12
9
27
259 18th 12 9 27 
A total of 325 seats
  • Union Solidarity and Development Party : 259
  • Shan Nationalities Democratic P .: 18
  • National Unity Party : 12
  • Rakhine Nationalities Development Party : 9
  • Otherwise: 27
129
7th
5
3
24
129 7th 5 3 24 
A total of 168 seats
  • Union Solidarity and Development Party : 129
  • Rakhine Nationalities Development Party : 7
  • National Unity Party : 5
  • Shan Nationalities Democratic Party : 3
  • Others: 24

Xinhua reported the following final results on November 17, 2010:

Name of the list MPs, House of Commons MPs, House of Lords MPs, parliaments of the provinces and states of the Union
Union Solidarity and Development Party 259 129 495
National Unity Party 12 5 46
Shan Nationalities Democratic Party 18th 3 36
Rakhine Nationalities Development Party 9 7th 19th
other parties 27 24 65
total 325 168 661

The National Democratic Force and the All Mon Region Democracy Party each have a total of 16 selected MPs in the three houses.

aftermath

The day after the elections, there was heavy fighting between the military and insurgents from the Karen minority in eastern Burma. There was fighting in the border town to Thailand , Myawaddy , in which several people were injured and killed. Over 10,000 fled across the border. On election day, 300 rebels protested against the elections in Myawaddy and occupied the post office and a police station. Ethnic minority organizations, which make up around 40 percent of the population, warned of civil war ahead of the elections. In 3,400 localities in predominantly ethnic minority areas, an estimated 1.5 million people were unable to exercise their right to vote after the elections there were canceled.

On February 4, 2011, the former General and Prime Minister Thein Sein was elected by Parliament as the new President. With him, for the first time since 1962, a civilian was in charge of the state. Under Thein Sein, the Myanmar government accelerated its reform course, political prisoners were released and the government sought dialogue with the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

On April 1, 2012, by-elections were held for both chambers of parliament, in which 45 vacant parliamentary seats were filled. The National League for Democracy was re-admitted to these by-elections, and Aung San Suu Kyi successfully ran for a seat. These by-elections were a symbolic climax of the democratization process initiated by the 2010 parliamentary elections, which the Myanmar government hopes will normalize its relations with the western industrialized nations.

Web links

literature

Footnotes

  1. ↑ a b c Aljazeera, Fraud charges cloud Myanmar vote , November 6, 2010
  2. ^ Deutsche Welle, Burma - A dictatorship lets elections , November 3, 201
  3. ↑ a b c Uta Gärtner, Junge Welt, November 3, 2010, Online: AG Peace Research at the University of Kassel, Stagnation or Awakening? - analysis. Myanmar before the elections
  4. ↑ n-tv.de, Mildness before the election in Burma: Junta wants to release prisoners , October 10, 2010
  5. ↑ a b Henning Heffner / Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Parliamentary elections in Burma / Myanmar - Cementing of military rule or chance for change? , October 2010 (PDF file)
  6. ↑ La Birmanie dissout cinq vieux partis politiques ( Memento of December 8, 2015 in the Internet Archive ), Xinhua (French)
  7. ↑ a b Myanmar election shows trend of people's aspiration
  8. ↑ a b Election in Myanmar ends as polling booths close , Xinhua
  9. ↑ a b n-tv, election in Burma: opposition puts 100 candidates , August 18, 2010
  10. ↑ a b c Deutschlandradio, Background - Elections in Myanmar , November 5, 2010
  11. ↑ a b c Myanmar announces some elected parliamentary representatives , Xinhua
  12. ↑ China hopes Myanmar election runs smoothly , Xinhua
  13. ^ Orderly voting in Burma. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . November 7, 2010, accessed November 8, 2010 .
  14. ^ The junta secures its mandate Die Zeit of November 8, 2010
  15. ↑ Aljazeera, Myanmar parties concede poll defeat , November 6, 2010
  16. ^ Opposition in Burma speaks of defeat and fraud NZZ Online from November 9, 2010
  17. ^ Fight between Burma's army and the Karen rebels NZZ Online from November 9, 2010
  18. ↑ a b Myanmar election commission publishes election final results , Xinhua
  19. ↑ Skirmishes between army and rebels. In: the daily newspaper . November 8, 2010, accessed November 9, 2010 .
  20. ↑ Thousands flee from fighting between the military and rebels , Spiegel Online, November 9, 2010
  21. ↑ Parliament elects new president . Frankfurter Rundschau , February 4, 2011.
  22. ^ Karl-Ludwig Gushi: Burma's junta courted opponent Suu Kyi . Spiegel Online , August 28, 2011.
  23. ↑ Opposition leader Suu Kyi wants to move into the parliament of Burma ( Memento from August 4, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) . Free press , April 1, 2012.
  24. ↑ Karl-Ludwig G possibly: A bit of perestroika . Spiegel Online , October 3, 2011.