By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar’s main opposition party, National League for Democracy (NLD) called on international observers to take part in the country’s referendum on a new constitution.  The NLD statement said the military government is allowed to campaign openly and without restriction in favor of the proposed constitution, while people campaigning against a new, military-backed charter were being assaulted and their materials seized.

“Local authorities are committing acts of suppression by trying to seize documents of the NLD and detain or interrogate township organizers,” NLD said a day after the junta-drafted charter was made public.  NLD spokesman Nyan Win told Reuters at least three NLD were attacked by unknown assailants as they campaigned against the constitution in Yangon.

Myanmar Information Minister Kyaw Hsaw promised last month the vote would be “free and fair”, but he bluntly rejected offers of U.N. technical assistance and monitors.  Pinheiro, a U.N. special reporter on Myanmar called Myanmar’s plans for constitutional referendum as “surreal”,  He also said he saw no credible moves towards political transition in the military-ruled country while the government continues detaining and repressing people who are trying to do some campaigning for a ‘no’ in the referendum.”  He also said the constitutional process could not be considered democratic given that all delegates of the constitutional assembly had been picked by the government.

The junta, who has tighten its control over Myanmar’s media, has urged the country’s 53 million people to back the charter, which is a key step in the military’s seven-point “road map to democracy” that is meant to culminate in multiparty elections in 2010.

For more information, please see:

International Herald Tribune – Myanmar pro-democracy party calls for international observers at constitution vote – 10 April 2008

Reuters – Myanmar crackdown on “no” campaign begins: opposition – 10 April 2008

Reuters – U.N. rights expert calls Myanmar vote plan “surreal” – 14 April 2008