Burma Update: Immediate News Release concerning Referendum

Immediate News Release concerning Referendum
May 10, 2008

In charge of Polling stations ticked 'Yes vote' by themselves for voters in Kyone Pyaw Township in Irrawaddy Division, Zee Gone, The Gone, NattaLin Townships in Pegu Division, Sa Lin, Yay Nan Chaung Townships in Ma Gway, Mon Ywar in Sagaing Division. If they were not allowed to tick, they harassed voters even inside the polling booths.

In some polling booths, there is no ball point pen inside the polling booths. People were afraid of to ask for pens so they cast the votes without ticking anything.

Yesterday night, in Tharrawaddy Township in Pegu Division, authorities seized identity cards from people and after voting, they only issued them back only to those who cast vote 'yes'.

People like members of USDA and Ward/Village Peace and Development Council, were around the polling station and some people even went inside the polling stations even though they were not officially allowed to get in, and forced people to cast vote Yes.

NLD released a statement calling for international community to send humanitarian aids and experts inside the country as soon as possible and do rescue works.

Hmaw Pi (Rangoon Division)

In quarter no 1, 2 and 3, the ballots already ticked 'Yes' vote were provided to voters and let them put these ballot paper directly inside the ballot box.

When people were taking ballot paper, they let them sign and make them tick in remark column in the registration table, and threatened them by telling that they knew what people voted so you had to vote 'yes'.

In Hnaw Kone Kyaing Pite village, the day before the referendum, U Htee Doe, chairman of ward peace and development council, the secretary and his nephew took ballot box to each house with already ticked vote 'yes' and forced people to cast votes in front of them.

A civil servant from Phoo Gyi Water Providing Project went to the polling station but his ballot had already been cast. In Hmay Pi and Hle Gu, one family member could vote for other people in his or her family.

In quarter 2, when Ma Nyein Aye registered for casting vote, commission people asked her to vote for her mother also. She refused to vote for her mother telling her mother would cast vote by herself. And she cast 'no' vote. Then she was asked her name and addresses for interrogation.

In the Brick Making Factory, factory manger forced 100 workers in the factory to cast 'yes' vote, but there was one vote 'no' among the list. So the factory manager said he had to compensate 100,000 kyat for that.
In a plastic factory, workers had to sign in the registration sheets, and given 3000 kyat for each person. And they were told that chicken eggs would come later for them. But workers were not satisfied as they were not allowed to cast vote.

In Lat Ngote Chaung, Naut Chaing village, when people registered to vote, they were asked to vote 'yes'. When Naw Ohn Hla, a woman activist who is forced to stay in Hmaw Pi, went to that polling station, she was also asked to vote 'yes'. She refused to vote 'yes' telling she would vote what she liked. And in the afternoon, she went to the polling station again, and helped people find their names in registration list. A person with civilian dress came to her and forced her to go away, when she asked who he was, she realized that he was from Hmaw Pi military post.

Hle Gu (Rangoon Division)

In Zeepin Gone Att Kwe village, people were forced to cast vote called representative vote for other family members. One family member could cast vote for the whole family members.

Yaynan Chaung (Magway Division)

In the polling stations, responsible persons told voters 'if you want to vote 'yes', vote here, or if you want to vote 'no', you have to go inside the polling booth'. So people were confused and didn't know what to do.

Thayet (Thayet District, Thayet Division)

In the polling station of Yone Gyi quarter, 6 people from Thayet Cement factory were arrested as they cast 'no' vote. They had to fill names, addresses and personal details. The commission sent ballot boxes to Magway Commission Office in Magway without counting them in front of the last 10 voters in the polling station.

Aung Lan (Magway Division)

In the polling station of Zay Gone quarter, people who wore vote no T shirt were forced to take off their shirts.

In Sanchaung quarter, 7 people were arrested as they distributed vote 'No' pamphlets. U Toe Lone, chairman of the quarter peace and development council took ballot boxes to Magway town without counting them in front of the last 10 voters in the polling station.

NLD head quarter

When Thakhin Soe Myint and Dr. Myo Aung from the NLD head quarter went to Hmaw Pi Township for poll watch, they were deterred to go further at toll gate before Hmay Pi by police and the special branch. They were forced to get off from the public transportation bus and taken back to 8 mile junction where they started their trip.


Compiled by NLD LA information department