China View
2008-04-10
YANGON, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has been launching an official campaign distributing eight kinds of promotion leaflets to the public and calling for voting in favor of the constitution draft to ensure its approval in the forthcoming nationwide referendum set for May 10, according to Thursday's local "Biweekly Eleven".
The list of the eligible voters township-wise in the country will be announced with loudspeakers or put on to the public notice boards seven days before the referendum is to take place, the leaflets said.
Polling booths will be open on May 10 from the morning 6 a.m. (local time) to the evening 4 p.m., it said, adding that booths will be closed earlier before 4 p.m., subject to the completion of polling at respective booths.
The leaflets confirmed that prisoners are also designated as eligible voters.
On Wednesday, Myanmar formally released a 194-page constitution, drafted by the a 54-member State Constitution Drafting Commission in accordance with the detailed basic principles laid down by the National Convention, in the form of a booklet and put on sale publicly earlier on the same day at a price of 1,000 Kyats (about 1 U.S. dollar).
According to earlier remarks of Information Minister Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan in a meeting with then visiting United Nations Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari, Myanmar citizens, who are either supporters or opponents, could exercise their equal polling rights to freely vote in favor of or against the constitution draft in the forthcoming nationwide referendum in May and then free campaigning by political parties will be granted in the general election to be followed in 2010.
Meanwhile, member of the commission for holding nationwide referendum U Thaung Nyunt also said polling would be conducted in line with the international systems, rejecting the monitoring of the referendum by foreign observers as well as the United Nations' proposal to render technical assistance to the referendum.
To govern the referendum, the government enacted on Feb. 26 a 12-chapter 31-provision 2008 Republic of Union of Myanmar Referendum Law, which is said to allow free casting of votes and open counting of them on the constitution draft to ensure the referendum be free and fair.
The law warned against acts aimed at undermining the referendum, banning public speeches and disseminating of leaflets and posters in an attempt to disturb the running of the referendum.
Law-breakers will be punished with a prison term of up to three years or a fine in cash up to 100,000 Kyats (nearly 100 U.S. dollars), the law states.
Meanwhile, some legal experts here said there are people who agree to approve the constitution draft but there are also people who oppose some articles in the draft. Directing at the forthcoming nationwide referendum, the NLD headquarters in Myanmar, in a special statement issued on March 31, has urged people in the country to vote against the constitution.
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