A Nation at Cross-Roads: Myanmar’s 2010 National Election

Author(s): Bruce Matthews

Published: November 05, 2010  in Canada-Asia Agenda   (7 pages)

Abstract:

International attention turns to Burma as its people go to the polls for the first time in over 20 years. Skepticism abounds as the so-called ‘faulty’ elections get underway, but could these elections possibly see the emergence of a new political dynamic? As the international community is obliged to come to terms with a ‘new’ government, the opportunity may be ripe for Canada to also re-consider its engagement pattern with Burma.

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anonymous (visitor), 3:29pm, 11/05/2010

Ten Little Questions

Ten Little Questions about Myanmar 1. On Sunday 7 November, with her name in the electoral list, will Aung San Suu Kyi be invited to leave her house on University Avenue and walk (be escorted?) to the voting station and actually vote? 2. And will she accept that invitation, or reject it? Damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t – a perfect double bind, considering that there is no NLD Party to vote for, considering that her vote would be known to the authorities. 3. How will the results of the election be announced on 8 or 9 November – how will the need for a two or three party system be expressed in practice, particularly in light of the coming success of the USDA/USDP? Which small party, if any, will be identified as credible to sit in the hluttaw (parliament) along with the two or three major party/parties? 4. How will the performance of small parties in the border states (those states dominated by non-Burmans) be measured and described by the Election Commission? Will the USDA/USDP do equally well in all those frontier states, so that it will be a pan-national party, and not just a Burmese party? 5. On Saturday 13 November, when the term of the house arrest order for Ms. Suu Kyi is reported to expire, will anything happen to alter the order for release? Will she be allowed to go on pilgrimage to important monasteries? 6. Will the reported suit brought by Ms. Suu Kyi against the Government regarding the dissolution of the NLD be used to further confine her? Will she be temporarily released and then confined a bit later? 7. Will the ‘denial of service’ attack reported yesterday on the government systems of Myanmar and other commercial internet services (“mptmail.mm”, “bagan.net” and “yangon.net” etc) influence the manner in which the government and the election commission perform their communication ‘duties’ during the ‘outcome’ period on the days after the election? This DDOS attack was even reported today by the Myanmar Times! 8. What is the exchange rate for the Kyat and US dollar today (Friday, the last day of the currency auction in Yangon before the election) and what will be the rate for the Kyat on Monday? What is the price of gold in Kyat today, what will it be on Monday? Will a state entity like the (central) Bank of Myanmar and/or Myanmar Holdings step in and release dollars (or Kyats) in order to stabilize the rate? 9. Will the price of petrol jump between Friday and the release of the results? Or will the private petrol markets adopt a wait-and-see approach until Tuesday? Or wait a week? What happens to the price of exportable rice, if anything, or rice for internal consumption? 10. How will Myanmar Television and The New Light of Myanmar describe the outcomes of the election? Will Myanmar Times address it in detail, particularly in their popular Burmese edition? How about foreign news, including Xinhua, Press Trust of India and/or others who will be allowed good access? Ten Little Questions about Myanmar 1. On Sunday 7 November, with her name in the electoral list, will Aung San Suu Kyi be invited to leave her house on University Avenue and walk (be escorted?) to the voting station and actually vote? 2. And will she accept that invitation, or reject it? Damned if she does, damned if she doesn...more
Gary Horswell (visitor), 8:51am, 11/06/2010

Having been deeply involved

Having been deeply involved with the Shan people in Canada and Shan state for 20 years I am encouraged by any international news/media/special reports that focus on the severe plight of this nation and the ethnic minorities within. That being said much of this information has been in the hands of international foreign affairs departments for over 20 years. Although globalization – the rise of China & India have changed the GEO/POLITICAL TRADE issues, the fact is the international community of western nations has not strategised an engagement with the junta that has decreased the suffering of so many in the country. Stay tuned – hope is blind. Gary Horswell Having been deeply involved with the Shan people in Canada and Shan state for 20 years I am encouraged by any international news/media/special reports that focus on the severe plight of this nation and the ethnic minorities within. That being said much of this information has been in the hands of international foreign affairs ...more

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