Plea for Suu Kyi inclusion in Myanmar poll process

FOLLOWING the announcement of Myanmar's general elections this year, regional experts urged the military junta to hold free and fair elections and ensure the participation of opposition.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, Dr Pushpa Thambipillai, a senior lecturer at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), hoped that the government would take some positive initiative to ensure the participation of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party National League for Democracy (NLD) in this year's polls.

"So, we should say there is still room for the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, as the party should still be part of the Myanmar's political process," said Dr Pushpa, adding that the elections is likely to be held during the next five months.

She said that the announcement by the ruling junta chief Senior Gen Than Shwe on Monday, reassured that the polls will take place according to schedule. "I think in the past few months there have been some encouraging signs on Myanmar's political process coming out from the Myanmar government, although the issue of Aung San Suu Kyi seems to be still unsettled," she added.

Bridget Welsh, a political science professor at the Singapore Management University, said that the crucial issue that Myanmar will be facing is the electoral law, which determines who can participate in the process. "These now appear ongoing," said Welsh from Singapore.

"The issue of NLD participation in the elections is complex, as it is not just Aung San Suu Kyi's participation (unlikely at this juncture), but divisions within the party and the process the Myanmar government allows," she said.

Asked how the region can help Myanmar holding peaceful elections, Dr Pushpa said that it was better to wait and see rather than exerting pressures.

Meanwhile, Welsh said that countries can provide technical assistance. "Also, to encourage Myanmar to allow observers from the region to monitor the elections, which will allow for greater transparency and credibility," said Welsh.

She added that the ruling junta has to show that the process will be competitive, on par with the international standards.

Myanmar's ruling junta confirmed on Monday that the country's first general elections in two decades will be held this year but no specific date was disclosed.

Myanmar, which joined Asean in 1997, is facing political, humanitarian and development challenges. Last year the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged Asean to take a tougher line against Myanmar.

The Brunei Times