13 May 2008
Loa Htaw, IMNA

Many polling stations in Mon state southern Burma did not open or close in accordance with the referendum law, said local activists.
 
The polling stations were to be open from 6 am to 4 pm on May 10 on the referendum day according to the Burmese government referendum commission law which was released in April.
 
At least about 10 polling stations were not opened at 6 am and closed much before 4 pm in Mudon, Thanbyuzayat and Chanug Zone townships, said a leader of the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF).
 
“We had our members monitoring whether the polling stations in Mon state opened and closed on time,” he said. “Yesterday, I received reports from villages in Mudon township that some polling stations closed before lunch time and most before 3 pm,” he added.
 
“Many people in Mudon Township could not vote confidentially and were disturbed by the station staff when they voted,” he continued.
 
“Before I went to the polling station I decided to vote against but when I arrived at the booth and voted the staff followed me into the voting room and I voted ‘yes’, said Nai Seik a voter from  Mudon township.   
 
A polling station in Wae-ka-rat village in Thanbyuzayat Township opened at 7 am and closed at about 3:30 pm said an activist in the village who monitored the station.
 
According to a Chaung Zone township person, polling stations in the township also did not open and close on time.
 
According to Mon community leaders, the referendum commission and poll stations staff in Mon state were threatened by the higher authorities that they would be sacked from their jobs if their polling stations got more ‘No’ votes than ‘Yes’ votes. 
 
The referendum commission was formed by members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), Myanmar Women’s Affairs Federation (MSAF), The Myanmar Maternal and Child Welfare Association (MMCWA), Village Peace and Development Council and civil servants.

Polling station staff stuffed ‘Yes’ votes for the constitutional referendum in Thoungpyin village of Lamine Sub-Township, Mon state, said a poll station staff. 

Before the polling station closed, one of the staff members Zar Kyi Htway filled a lot of left over ballots with ‘Yes’ votes on behalf of those voters who did not come to vote, said the staff.  “I saw that she filling up support votes for a long time.” she continued.

“We got 1129 support, 925 against and 267 disqualifying votes on the constitution in the polling station in Thoungpyin village booth,” she said. 

“All of our family members’ ages are over 18 year, but we did not get ballots to go to the polling station to vote. We are not involved in any opposition movement and I do not understand why we did not get the chance,” said a commission member. 

Only about 2600 out of 9000 eligible voters received ballots to vote for the referendum in Thoungpyin village, he added.

A majority of eligible voters did not receive the ballots and the commission members voted instead of the voters, according to an authoritative source from the Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC).

Thoungpyin village is one of the strongholds of activists’ in Mon state and the result from the poll station has shocked the villagers, said local observers.