Burmese voter list is ‘open to fraud’

BURMA’S opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi claimed yesterday that official voter lists for next month’s by-elections include dead people and open the possibility for fraud.

She called on the international community to watch closely how the elections proceed and how the official election commission deals with complaints of electoral irregularities before determining their policy toward Burma.

Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy is fielding candidates for all 48 seats at stake in the 1 April by-elections.

Speaking after a meeting with Canadian foreign minister John Baird, she said her party had “just discovered there are many, many irregularities on the voter lists and we have applied to the Elections Commission to do something about this”.

She added: “I would like to watch very closely what’s happening to make sure that the elections are free and fair before you decide what the next step should be with regard to the sanctions.”

It is alleged that many people were left off the voter list and names of dead people were on there.

Mr Baird said: “I would be very thrilled to begin to lift the Canadian sanctions against the current government here, but obviously we want to watch closely the campaign.”