Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi casts early vote in general election

29 October 2020, 07:24

Burma’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi casts an early vote for the upcoming November 8 general election (Aung Shine Oo/AP)
Burma election. Picture: PA

She wore a mask and gloves as she voted amid an upsurge in coronavirus cases.

Burma’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi cast her ballot in advance voting for general elections that are taking place during a surge of coronavirus illnesses.

The Southeast Asian country confirmed almost 1,500 new cases of infection on Wednesday alone.

Ms Suu Kyi, whose title is state counsellor, and the country’s president, Win Myint, both wore masks and gloves as they voted in the capital Naypyitaw.

Measures are being taken to ensure social distancing at the polls on election day, November 8.

Advance voting is allowed and encouraged for citizens 60 years of age or older in areas where there are lock-down type restrictions because of coronavirus, and in cases where people are staying for work in places other than their official homes.

Ms Suu Kyi is 75 and the president is 68.

Myanmar Election
Burma’s President Win Myint casts an early vote (Aung Shine Oo/AP)

Tens of thousands of citizens living overseas have also already cast their ballots.

The election commission has ruled that the polls will be held on the planned date despite the coronavirus crisis in several areas, a decision endorsed by Ms Suu Kyi and her ruling National League for Democracy party.

At least two dozen other parties had urged postponement.

The commission has also cancelled voting in parts of Kachin state, Kayin state, Bago region, Mon state, Rakhine state, and Shan state, all of which are troubled by various levels of unrest.

The commission said free and fair voting could not be guaranteed in those areas, but the selective cancellation has drawn criticism.

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said it had serious concerns about the human rights situation in Burma ahead of the elections, including violations of the right to political participation, particularly for minority groups.

Myanmar Election
Burma’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi registers to vote (Aung Shine Oo/AP)

“While the elections represent an important milestone in Burma’s democratic transition, the civic space is still marred by continuing restrictions of the freedoms of opinion, expression and access to information, and the use of language that could amount to incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence,” its statement said.

Burma has 37 million eligible voters, including five million first-time voters.

The last general election in 2015 brought to power Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy after more than five decades of military rule.

Ms Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner who won the Nobel Peace Prize for leading the non-violent pro-democracy movement, remains by far the country’s most popular politician.

The international condemnation of her government for allowing security forces to carry out widespread abuses of the Muslim Rohingya minority, driving more than 700,000 to seek safety in neighbouring Bangladesh, appeared to play no significant role in the campaign.

Even though Burma now has elections, a constitution enacted in 2008 while the military still held power gives the armed forces one-quarter of the seats in the lower and upper houses of the national parliament, giving them veto power over any changes to the charter.

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

Virginia Giuffre

Woman driving Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre during crash that left her with 'four days to live' breaks silence

Exclusive
'Donald Trump has made Putin comfortable,' Mikhail Khodorkovsky has warned

'Trump has made Putin comfortable' despite massive Ukraine war losses, exiled former oligarch tells LBC

The bodies of Andrew Searle and his wife Dawn were discovered by a neighbour.

British couple found dead in south of France home being ‘treated as murder-suicide’

The vehicle was later extinguished after the driver, covered in flames, emerged from the vehicle.

Amsterdam Dam Square car explosion sees driver engulfed in flames - just days after mass stabbing

d

Pictured: US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for world's most isolated tribe

The Sentinelese are a pre-Neolithic tribe that rejects contact with the modern world

US tourist arrested for sailing to remote island and leaving a can of Coke for the world's most isolated tribe to try

The Trump administration has been ridiculed after imposing tariffs on uninhabited islands

'No one is safe, not even the penguins': Trump administration ridiculed after imposing tariffs on uninhabited islands

World leaders react to US tariffs

'This is not the act of a friend': World leaders react to Trump's 'unwarranted' tariffs

British couple

British couple found dead in New Zealand named - as police probe possible murder-suicide

Virginia Giuffre said she had been left with 'four days to life' after the crash

Bus driver breaks silence on Virginia Giuffre crash that left her 'with four days to live'

Foreign Secretary David Lammy

David Lammy to urge Nato allies to increase defence spending in bid to make alliance 'stronger, fairer and more lethal'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

EU threatens further countermeasures against US tariffs after 'major blow to world economy'

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' as Apprentice star teases potential US Presidential meeting

Lord Sugar labels Trump tariffs 'a disaster' and warns that the president 'hasn't thought it through'

Buildings that were destroyed during the Israeli ground and air operations in Gaza

Israel expands ground attack on Gaza to seize 'large areas' - despite pleas from hostage families

Police said two people died on Palliser Road, Roseneath.

British couple found dead at home in New Zealand - just months after moving to 'begin new chapter'

Virginia Giuffre warned it was a "very bad situation" after she claimed a school bus ploughed into her car

Virginia Giuffre was charged with breaching restraining order days before crash that 'left her with days to live'