Myanmar Told ASEAN Wants fair, Inclusive Polls: Vietnam

Jakarta Globe, April 09, 2010

Myanmar's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi against her extended house arrest

Myanmar has been told that ASEAN wants controversial elections scheduled for this year to be fair, inclusive and democratic, Vietnam said Friday after hosting the group’s summit.

The polls in military-ruled Myanmar, expected to be held by early November, have been widely condemned for effectively barring the participation of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“We hope to see Myanmar implementing effectively the roadmap for peace... and that the elections should be fair, democratic, with the participation of all parties,” Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said.

“This will help... stabilise the country and focus resources on development,” he said, adding that as the current chair of the 10-nation bloc he had “forwarded ASEAN’s message” during a visit to Myanmar last week.

Myanmar’s elections will be the first in the military-run state for two decades, but Suu Kyi’s party has called a boycott over new laws which would have forced it to expel its leader if it wanted to participate.

The United States has led international condemnation of the rules which critics say undermine the credibility of the process.

“I think they realise that the whole world is watching them,” Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on the opening day of the summit Thursday.

“But for them to decide to take the path or the roadmap towards democracy is a gargantuan step, and we’re glad that they’ve taken that, so we must encourage them along the way,” he told reporters.

ASEAN members are divided on how to handle Myanmar, which has always escaped formal censure from the 10-nation group as it adheres to a principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.

But as Myanmar’s poor record -- including allegations of massive human rights abuses as well as a failure to shift to democracy -- again threatens to discredit the region, its neighbours have reminded it of its obligations.

“The important thing is for the process itself to be a very sound process, a credible process, and to be free and fair so that it will enhance Myanmar and ASEAN, particularly with the world community,” Najib said.

“I think they understand what is expected of them,” he said, but added that regional states would not “pre-judge” Myanmar by assuming the polls will fall short of expectations.

Amnesty International had called on ASEAN to make Myanmar’s flawed election plans and “appalling” human rights record a priority at the summit.

AFP