Political parties urge Than Shwe to investigate electoral fraud

The Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics (UMFNP) has sent an official letter to Senior General Than Shwe urging him to establish a commission to investigate electoral fraud in the recent elections, according to the party. The letter was sent on January 10.

Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics chairman Aye Lwin (above) says there has been inaction in 29 cases submitted by police to courts last week involving alleged electoral fraud committed by main junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. Photo: Mizzima Archive

Party chairman Aye Lwin told Mizzima: ‘Senior General Than Shwe should investigate the reported electoral frauds. If he doesn’t, it will mean that he accepts the unfairness, and he will be an accomplice in the fraud’.

The letter said that the electoral processes in some constituencies, including the one in which his party contested, were illegal, according to Aye Lwin.

Similarly, the 88 Generation Student Youths (Union of Myanmar), led by Ye Tun, Aye Lwin’s younger brother, also requested the creation of an investigating commission.

The two parties contested for a total of 85 parliamentary seats in Sagaing, Magway, Mandalay, Rangoon, Pegu and Irrawaddy divisions and in Chin State. Only the 88 Generation Student Youths (Union of Myanmar) won a parliamentary seat in the Hlaingtharyar Township constituency for the Rangoon Division Assembly.

They parties said that they have filed 28 electoral complaints with the police. The authorities said that the complaints were handed over to the Ministry of Home Affairs. So far, none of the cases has been heard.