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Myanmar warns embassies ahead
of referendum
Yangon—Myanmar’s military government Thursday warned foreign
embassies not to support Aung San Suu Kyi’s pro-democracy party, as
the nation gears up for a referendum on a constitution opposed by
her supporters.
The warning carried in the official New Light of Myanmar newspaper
came the morning after the regime announced that the referendum
would be held on May 10.Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for
Democracy (NLD) party is urging voters to reject the constitution,
which they say will not bring democracy to the country which has
been ruled by the military since 1962.
“Certain foreign powers, with the intention of interfering in the
internal affairs of Myanmar, are now ... aiding and abetting some
local political parties to destabilise the country,” the paper
said.“Some diplomats of certain foreign embassies in Yangon
regularly visit NLD (headquarters), hold talks and give directives
to harm the interests of the nation and the people,” the paper said.
“The embassies should stop such activities,” the government
mouthpiece said.The ruling junta says the new constitution will help
create a “discipline-flourishing democracy,” with multiparty
elections set for 2010.But critics say the constitution will give
the generals a dominant role in government, even after the polls.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the NLD to a landslide victory in
elections in 1990, would be barred from running in new polls. The
military never recognised NLD’s election win, and has silenced the
Nobel peace prize winner by keeping her under house arrest for 12 of
the last 18 years.
One quarter of the seats in parliament would be reserved for
soldiers, appointed by the commander-in-chief. The military would
also have broad powers to declare a state of emergency and take
direct control of the government.—AFP
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