2008 Myanmar constitutional referendum

November 2015 November 2015 Myanmar 1974 2008 05 10 y(2008 05 24 y in some townships) 24764124 1631712 380839 27288827 A constitutional referendum was held in Myanmar on 10 May 2008 (24 May 2008 in some townships) according to an announcement by the State Peace and Development Council in February 2008.Burma sets date for popular votes BBC News, 9 February 2008 According to the military government, the new Constitution of Myanmar will ensure the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy"."Burma's military issues warning before poll", ABC Radio Australia, 9 April 2008 Multi-party elections followed in 2010. The constitutional referendum law was enacted and a referendum commission was set up on 26 February 2008.Myanmar enacts constitutional referendum law, form referendum commission – People's Daily Online Reportedly, the law ensures the secret casting of votes and requires a public count of the ballots to prove it is fair.english.eastday.com The draft constitution was published and the date of the referendum finally announced on 9 April 2008. Among the changes that the referendum sought to make were: One quarter of all parliamentary seats would be reserved for military officers. The Ministry of Home Affairs would fall exclusively under military control. New Burma constitution published, BBC, 9 April 2008. Retrieved 10 April 2008 Anyone married to a person who was not a citizen of Myanmar would be barred from running for the office of president.Many voices silenced as Myanmar vote campaign gets under way https://web.archive.org/web/20110429185646/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20080420-131573/Many-voices-silenced-as-Myanmar-vote-campaign-gets-under-way 29 April 2011 , Philippine Daily Inquirer, 20 April 2008 Many international media reports suggest that this provision would have the effect of making opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi ineligible for the presidency,AFP: Ban on Suu Kyi shatters hopes for Myanmar polls: analysts https://web.archive.org/web/20110427182206/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hdzlET4wtgI_H2_23kAR75kNhr8A 27 April 2011 although her British husband died in 1999. Campaign Three weeks before the referendum, the front page of the state press was headlined "Let's Vote Yes for National Interest." Many songs, poems, cartoons and editorials urging people to vote "yes" were published in local and national news media. The opposition National League for Democracy called for people to vote "no" to the constitution.Main Burmese Opposition Party Calls for Defeat of Draft Constitution https://web.archive.org/web/20080410061229/http://voanews.com/english/2008-04-02-voa18.cfm 10 April 2008 , Voice of America, 2 April 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2008 However, the N.L.D. claimed their campaign against the constitution was violently suppressed, with activists arrested and material confiscated. The Kachin Independence Organisation, an opposition group which participated in the government's "National Convention" process, called on its members to abstain, saying the government had failed to respond to its demands.KIO To Abstain From Referendum https://web.archive.org/web/20080513005233/http://www.mizzima.com/referendum/17-referendum-watch/337-kio-to-abstain-from-referendum 13 May 2008 , Mizzima, 9 April 2008 Criticism Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar a few days before the referendum, and the vote was postponed to 24 May in the most severely affected areas — 7 out of 26 townships in Irrawaddy Division and 40 out of 45 townships in Yangon Division.Myanmar says referendum will go ahead in most of country, Forbes, 6 May 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for the referendum to be postponed in full to concentrate on the "national tragedy," but the government rejected this. The Junta came under heavy criticism for diverting critical resources from survivors toward the referendum, including evicting refugees from shelters such as schools so that these can be used as polling stations. "Aid agencies plead for Myanmar entry visas", The Globe and Mail, 13 May 2008 Massive fraud and intimidation was also reported."Myanmar referendum "marred by fraud" https://web.archive.org/web/20080515021658/http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5776611/Myanmar-referendum-marred-by-fraud 15 May 2008 , Radio Netherlands, 11 May 2008 On 6 May 2008, the United States Congress passed a condemnation of the Myanmar constitution and referendum, by a 413–1 vote (the "no" vote cast by Ron Paul).http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/house/2/votes/251/ 110th Congress / House / 2nd session / Vote 251 The U.S. Congress Votes Database Projects.washingtonpost.com 2022-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20091130001120/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/house/2/votes/251/ 30 November 2009 dead Voting There were many allegations of electoral fraud on the day of the election, including: A village visited by officials in advance of the referendum where 185 people were forced to vote "yes" with absentee ballots Villagers complain to commission over forcible voting https://web.archive.org/web/20080513005358/http://www.mizzima.com/referendum/469-villagers-complain-to-commission-over-forcible-voting 13 May 2008 , Mizzima, 8 May 2008 Officials giving out ballot papers already filled in with a tick Massive Cheating Reported from Referendum Polling Stations https://web.archive.org/web/20080513113939/http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=11923 13 May 2008 , The Irrawaddy, 10 May 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2008 Voters ordered to complete votes for their relatives Burmese voice anger on poll day, BBC, 10 May 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2008 Government officials sitting close to the ballot boxes and telling voters how to vote Voters bribed to vote "yes" UN flies in aid, as Burmese junta conducts polls, Bangkok Post, 10 May 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2008 Officials closing polling stations at 11:00 a.m. and then going to the houses of people who hadn't voted and making them vote then Opposition groups, including the All Burma Monks' Alliance, the 88 Generation Students Group and the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, described the referendum as a sham. Voting dates 10 May 2008 May 2008 After the first day of the referendum, the Democratic Promotion Organ of Burma and the Democratic Voice of Burma complained about election fraud. They claimed that, according to witness reports, it was impossible to vote "no" because voters were issued voting ballots that had already been marked "support" and were sent to prison if they refused the pre-marked ballot. It was also reported that there were two separate ballot boxes which were monitored by officials who could see how people voted, which this might have intimidated voters or allowed for later recriminations. Furthermore, as with many referendums relating to procedural matters, there was concern that many people did not understand the details of what they were voting for, and that this might have affected the vote. The Myanma Junta stated that the referendum would easily be supported."Public cried: dirty referendum, already-designated result" https://web.archive.org/web/20080514034020/http://www.thairath.co.th/online.php?section=newsthairathonline&content=89358 14 May 2008 , Thairath, 11 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-11. Results The day after the election, local media cited informal reports of referendum results as follows:A smattering of poll results trickles in https://web.archive.org/web/20080512234310/http://www.mizzima.com/referendum/17-referendum-watch/498-a-smattering-of-poll-results-trickles-in 12 May 2008 , Mizzima, 11 May 2008 Seven constituencies in Myingyan Township, Mandalay Division: 67% Yes Meikhtila Township, Mandalay Division: 67% Yes Five townships in Kachin State: 62% Yes Two townships in Shan State: 67% No Yenanchaung Township, Magwe Division: 53% Yes Final results were not expected before the end of May; they were announced on 30 May 2008.Myanmar formally announces ratification of new constitution draft – People's Daily Online On 15 May 2008, the junta announced that the constitution had been approved by 92.4% of voters, claiming a 99% turnout in the two-thirds of the region that had held the vote. Burma 'approves new constitution' Burmese constitutional referendum, 2008 24764124 26395836 1631712 27288827 380839 People's Daily Online References 33em Constitutional referendum Category:2008 referendums 2008 Category:Constitutional referendums