The Straits Times
MEMBERS of Singapore's large Myanmar community began voting on Friday in a referendum on a new constitution for their country but an activist alleged many would-be voters were turned away.
In small groups of about five, voters arrived at the Myanmar embassy where they waited outside the gate before being escorted inside to cast ballots, a reporter observed.
An embassy guard said about 50 people had arrived during the morning, after voting began at 9 am.
Singapore is home to an estimated 30,000 Myanmar nationals.
In Myanmar, voting is set for May 10.
Mr Myo Myint Maung, spokesman for the Overseas Burmese Patriots activist group, said that only people who have had previous contact with the embassy, and whose names are on file, were allowed to cast ballots right away.
'I was not allowed to vote immediately this morning,' he added.
Mr Myo said under the referendum law, any citizen of Myanmar aged 18 or older should be able to cast a ballot, but the embassy asked for his phone number and said they would call him before voting ends at 5pm on Tuesday.
About half of the 30 people he saw arriving at the embassy seeking to vote were turned back because they did not have the letter notifying them of their eligibility, he said.
Moe Kyaw Thu said he was also told to wait.
'I just want to vote... but they don't allow us to vote,' he said. 'They just make it difficult.'
Mr Myo also alleged that those who were escorted inside the embassy to vote took too long.
'The process is taking a snail's pace,' he said. 'So I think they are doing that deliberately.'
Mr Moe told reporters that voters were given a form to be filled out inside the embassy, asking for their name, passport number and the serial number on their ballot.
Hundreds of Myanmar nationals are expected to turn out on Sunday to try to cast their ballots, said Mr Myo.
Myanmar's generals say the referendum will pave the way for democratic elections in 2010, but analysts say the constitution enshrines the role of the military which has ruled since 1962 and leaves political parties with little room to campaign.
'There are pros and cons of this constitution,' said one Myanmar national in Singapore, who asked to be called Aung.
Speaking after he cast his ballot, he said that although the military 'are not legitimate' and will still dominate the political structure, at least the constitution gives some role to civilians.
Detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) has called on the public to vote 'No' and said any attempts to campaign against the constitution were being suppressed, sometimes violently.
'Most people would vote 'no',' which is what the government fears, said Mr Myo.
On Friday the NLD said Myanmar's ruling generals were doing everything in their power to force a 'Yes' vote.
The referendum will be the first balloting in Myanmar since 1990, when Aung San Suu Kyi led the NLD to a landslide victory that was never recognised by the junta.
The European Union said on Wednesday it hoped for a free vote but was preparing to extend sanctions against the regime, while the United States announced it would resubmit a draft statement in the United Nations Security Council to insist on a 'credible' referendum.
'This is like a football match. It's our turn to shoot the goal,' Mr Aung said. 'Whether the referee is fair or biased is not our job. Our job is to do our part.' -- AFP
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