Aung San Suu Kyi: Burma vote is neither free nor fair

Opposition candidates have been targeted in stone-throwing incidents and other intimidation, says Nobel peace laureate

Aung San Suu Kyi has said Burma's weekend elections will be neither free nor fair because of widespread irregularities, but vowed to press forward with her candidacy for the sake of the country.

She said opposition candidates had been targeted in stone-throwing incidents and other intimidation that had hampered their campaigning in the runup to Sunday's byelections, which are considered a crucial test of Burma's commitment to democratic reforms.


"I don't think we can consider it genuinely free and fair if we consider what has been going on for the last couple of months," Aung San Suu Kyi said. "We have had to face many irregularities."

She said there had been attempts to injure candidates and cited two cases in which stones or other objects had been thrown at members of her opposition National League for Democracy, causing one of the party's security guards to be hospitalised.

There were "many, many cases of intimidation" and vandalism of party campaign posters, she said.

She blamed some of the acts on "people in official positions".

Despite the irregularities, Aung San Suu Kyi said the party was "determined to go forward because we think that is what our people want".

The byelection is likely to mark a symbolic turning point by bringing Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for the first time, an event that would raise hopes for a more representative government after a half century of repressive military rule.

The byelection will fill 45 vacant seats in Burma's 664-seat national parliament.

A victory by Aung San Suu Kyi and the opposition would do little to alter the balance of power in parliament but would give her a voice in parliament for the first time.