Western nations blindly denounce Myanmar’s upcoming elections
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Phyo/Thant Zin (NP News) - July 16
U Htet Aung Kyaw, Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Force (NDF), said that Western countries are opposing the upcoming election out of a sense of responsibility.
The election will be held within four weeks, starting in the third week of December this year, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC), said in his opening speech at the Peace Forum held in Naypyidaw on June 25.
Although most neighbouring countries, including China, India, Russia, and Thailand, support the election, some Western European countries are opposing it, said U Htet Aung Kyaw.
“From the very beginning, they opposed because the Tatmadaw had taken power. So, it’s only natural that, as a consequence of that initial opposition, they continue to object. It can say it’s part of their duties. However, when we meet with diplomats from their side, if we discuss openly, we see that they are opposing mainly out of a sense of principle or responsibility. We believe that once the Parliament is re-established and a government is formed, and once the separation of powers is fully exercised, they will eventually come to accept it. They did the same in 2010. Although they didn’t officially support it at first, when reforms started happening on our side, things became acceptable to them,” said U Htet Aung Kyaw.
U Htet Aung Kyaw said that “If we are concerned about whether foreign countries support or not the election, it could delay the political change we are working on.”
“I think if we are concerned about whether they support us or not, we will delay the things we have to do. So, we will do what we have to do. In order to make our country the best, this is the pattern that will cause the least harm to the public among the various patterns that are currently being adopted. Since this is the pattern that can be changed with the least harm to the public, we must speak about it and move on,” he said.
Furthermore, U Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, said that foreign countries have also understood that if Myanmar is to achieve a stable government and a democratic standard, elections must be held.
“They will help this issue wholeheartedly. And they will acknowledge it. Some will believe it at this time. Some say that the election is not credible, but they already know that only an election can provide a solution. We see this as an indispensable part of political change,” said U Thein Tun Oo.