Although the junta has been pressuring people to vote for the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in the November elections, the ruling generals face a challenge since the junta’s proxy party has an infamous reputation among the public.A USDP campaigner canvassing for votes (photo: Reuters)
According to sources in Rangoon and other cities in Burma, even pre-election polls within the USDP showed the party may face a challenge from the former ruling party, the National Unity Party (NUP), which was formerly known as the Burmese Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), and other political parties such as the National Democratic Force (NDF), the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), the Democratic Party (Myanmar) (DP-Myanmar).
In a pre-election poll held in August among soldiers at military headquarters and bases across the country, the top generals were surprised to see the USDP being beaten by their predecessors, the NUP, military sources said.
The pre-election polls in the military came just a few days before the Burmese junta, the State Peace and Development Council headed by Snr-Gen Than Shwe, executed a major military reshuffle at the end of August.
More than a dozen generals, including junta No.3 Gen Shwe Mann and secretary-1 Gen Tin Aung Myint Ooယ were ordered to retire from their military posts to become candidates in the elections.
Despite the reshuffle, however, the generals are still struggling to get more public support for the USDP, observers said.
“Former Maj-Gen Aung Kyi of the USDP, the current labor minister, will compete against veteran politician U Thu Wai , leader of the Democratic Party (Myanmar) in Mingalartaungnyunt Township in Rangoon,” said an editor with a private weekly in Rangoon speaking anonymously. “When they held separate public meetings recently, more people attended to Thu Wai's talk than his opponent's.”
Although the USDP is facing many different rivals in large cities like Rangoon and Mandalay, “pro-democracy” candidates from different political parties cannot really threaten the junta’s plan for the USDP to secure the election across the country as only two parties—the USDP and NUP—are running in most of constituencies.
While the USDP will contest in all 1,171 constituencies, except for some so-called insecure places in border areas, for the lower house and upper houses of parliament as well as regional parliaments, the NUP is scheduled to run in 999 constituencies.
Unlike the 1990 elections, other political parties do not have capacity to contest the current military junta-backed USDP and the former regime party of the NUP. The NDF will contest in 161 constituencies, the SNDP in 156 and the DP-Myanmar in 47.
“The junta does not have to create false votes for the USDP as it made sure from the beginning that there would be no major rivals in the polls,” said a political reporter in Rangoon speaking on condition of anonymity. “Even if other parties won in the elections, their seats would only amount to around 10 percent of the parliaments, and the USDP has 172 candidates more than its main rival, the NUP.”
“Though the NUP’s coverage is about 97 percent of all constituencies, they are not as infamous as the USDP and could mount a challenge. However, with a lead of 172 constituencies, the USDP can almost declare victory in what is really a one-horse race,” the reporter said.
Tough campaigning by the USDP has also been reported in ethnic areas. The All Mon Regions Democracy Party (AMRDP) said the USDP is facing a dilemma after trying to force people to vote for them.
“They have organized people in some villages since the beginning of the election campaign, but people no longer want to liste to their speeches and seem less afraid of their threats,” said Nai Ngwe Thein, chairman of the AMRDP.
The USDP was transformed from the junta’s mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) in April. The USDA was formed in 1993 one year after Than Shwe succeed the late Snr-Gen Saw Maung as the junta head.
Since then, the USDA has been infamous among Burmese people as a tool of junta suppression, including the deadly attack on pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s convoy near Depayin in May 2003, as well as the brutal crackdowns on monks and demonstrators throughout September 2007.
The USDP has been using state resources in development projects and social activities in contravention of the election law in an attempt to improve its public image during the election campaign.
Irrawaddy Reporter Lawi Weng contributed to this story.
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