LONDON, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The British government doesn't recognize the Sunday general election in Myanmar as a legitimate competition, a Foreign Office minister said.
Myanmar is gearing up for a general election Sunday that the ruling military junta said opens the door to civilian participation in the government.
Military leaders are guaranteed a certain percentage of the seats in parliament and the government disbanded several opposition parties, leading critics to complain the competition is far from inclusive.
Jeremy Browne, the British minister of state at London's Foreign Office, said in an interview with Channel News Asia that London didn't have much faith in the contest.
"We don't recognize the elections as being legitimate," he said. "There are over 2,000 political prisoners in Myanmar; people who would wish to stand for election are not able to do so, so it is not an accurate reflection of the view of the people of Myanmar, and for that reason we don't think the elections are a legitimate process."
There are 37 parties slated to take part in the Sunday election, though the military junta is slated to win as it is fielding more than 1,000 candidates. Opposition groups are fielding about 10 percent of that number.
Opposition groups in the country are calling for a boycott of the polls. Authorities, however, said anyone "inciting the people to boycott" faces a financial penalty, one year in prison, or both, opposition newspaper Democratic Voice of Burma reports.
Source:http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2010/11/03/Myanmar-vote-illegitimate-London-says/UPI-24381288795888/
Myanmar is gearing up for a general election Sunday that the ruling military junta said opens the door to civilian participation in the government.
Military leaders are guaranteed a certain percentage of the seats in parliament and the government disbanded several opposition parties, leading critics to complain the competition is far from inclusive.
Jeremy Browne, the British minister of state at London's Foreign Office, said in an interview with Channel News Asia that London didn't have much faith in the contest.
"We don't recognize the elections as being legitimate," he said. "There are over 2,000 political prisoners in Myanmar; people who would wish to stand for election are not able to do so, so it is not an accurate reflection of the view of the people of Myanmar, and for that reason we don't think the elections are a legitimate process."
There are 37 parties slated to take part in the Sunday election, though the military junta is slated to win as it is fielding more than 1,000 candidates. Opposition groups are fielding about 10 percent of that number.
Opposition groups in the country are calling for a boycott of the polls. Authorities, however, said anyone "inciting the people to boycott" faces a financial penalty, one year in prison, or both, opposition newspaper Democratic Voice of Burma reports.
Source:http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2010/11/03/Myanmar-vote-illegitimate-London-says/UPI-24381288795888/
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