Myanmar leader cautions farmers ahead of elections

Myanmar's military leader Tuesday urged the rural masses to counter pro-democracy forces said to be seeking to disrupt stability before the country's first general elections in 20 years.

Senior Gen. Than Shwe made the comments in a statement published on the front page of all state-run newspapers on the anniversary of Peasant's Day.

Confirming that elections would be held this year, Than Shwe urged farmers "to elect representatives capable of building a peaceful, modern and developed nation and exercising democracy correctly."

"You also have to ward off potential dangers of those who will disrupt state stability and community peace with the assistance of aliens in the background," the message said.

Than Shwe did not elaborate but the regime consistently uses such language to refer to the opposition party of detained Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, claiming she gets support from foreign countries.

Suu Kyi's party won the last election in 1990, but the results were never honored by the military, which has ruled the country since 1962 when then-dictator Gen. Ne Win declared March 2 Peasant's Day.

Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, has not yet decided whether to take part in the election. The party says the new constitution of 2008 is unfair and will perpetuate military rule _ a claim echoed by international rights groups. The constitution guarantees that 25 percent of parliamentary seats will go to the military. It also has a clause that would effectively bar Suu Kyi from holding office.

Suu Kyi has been detained for 14 of the past 20 years.

Source :http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1192876&lang=eng_news