Election Commission to allow monitoring groups to observe by-elections
Election Commission to allow monitoring groups to observe by-elections
Eleven Media, 27 Apr 2014
URL: http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5874:election-commission-to-allow-monitoring-groups-to-observe-by-elections&cati
Local and international monitoring groups will be permitted to observe the upcoming by-elections after agreeing to conform with international norms, according to the Union Election Commission.
The Election Commission's deputy director Hla Maung Cho said the by-elections would be held this year to fill the vacant seats for 30 constituencies. And the monitoring groups can observe the balloting should they pledge to comply with rules and regulations.
Myo Yan Naung Thein, general-secretary of the Monitoring Network for Free and Fair Election in Myanmar, said the network welcomes the Election Commission permit for the poll monitor, adding he will reject any rules and regulation deviating from international norms.
"If one looks back at 2010, no one was allowed to do the monitoring. In 2012, there were no specific rules and regulations for the monitoring. We don’t' want a repeat like that. We want fair rules and regulations to do the monitoring. Since [the Election Commission] said it will allow monitoring after signing [pledges] in line with international norms, we will accept it if it's really in line with international norms. If not, we won't accept it," said Myo Yan Naung Thein.
He added that the network was determined to monitor the general election in its own way as no one was allowed to do the monitoring in 2010. Although local and international monitoring groups were allowed to do their job during the by-election in 2012, there were no rules, regulations nor security.
Rumours about vote riggings spread in 2010 as monitoring groups were not allowed to observe the general election. However, such rumours stopped after the monitors could access the by-election in 2012.
Election Commission's chairman Tin Aye earlier said the commission is to ensure that the upcoming elections will be free and fair.
The Election Commission's deputy director Hla Maung Cho said the by-elections would be held this year to fill the vacant seats for 30 constituencies. And the monitoring groups can observe the balloting should they pledge to comply with rules and regulations.
Myo Yan Naung Thein, general-secretary of the Monitoring Network for Free and Fair Election in Myanmar, said the network welcomes the Election Commission permit for the poll monitor, adding he will reject any rules and regulation deviating from international norms.
"If one looks back at 2010, no one was allowed to do the monitoring. In 2012, there were no specific rules and regulations for the monitoring. We don’t' want a repeat like that. We want fair rules and regulations to do the monitoring. Since [the Election Commission] said it will allow monitoring after signing [pledges] in line with international norms, we will accept it if it's really in line with international norms. If not, we won't accept it," said Myo Yan Naung Thein.
He added that the network was determined to monitor the general election in its own way as no one was allowed to do the monitoring in 2010. Although local and international monitoring groups were allowed to do their job during the by-election in 2012, there were no rules, regulations nor security.
Rumours about vote riggings spread in 2010 as monitoring groups were not allowed to observe the general election. However, such rumours stopped after the monitors could access the by-election in 2012.
Election Commission's chairman Tin Aye earlier said the commission is to ensure that the upcoming elections will be free and fair.