Yangon, August (14)
Political parties have criticized the junta election commission’s ban on meetings with foreign organizations as not being in line with the law and hindering the rights of political parties.
The regime’s Union Election Commission announced on August 11 that if political parties meet with organizations or individuals from a foreign country, they must first submit to the commission and obtain the commission’s approval.
The UEC said it is against the law for political parties to meet with foreign organizations without the commission’s permission, so they should inform the commission and the commission will take appropriate measures to allow it.
Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD) General Secretary U Sai Laik denounced that the ban on the right of political parties to meet with foreign organizations is not in line with the law and restricts the rights of political parties.
In a statement, the regime’s UEC alleged that Myanmar-based foreign embassies, international organizations (INGOs) and their local civil society organizations (CSOs) were involved in the voter and electoral fraud that occurred in the 2020 general election.
U Tun Aung Kyaw, a member of the political policy steering committee of the Arakan National Party (ANP), said that restricting the right of political parties to meet with foreign organizations is unreasonable for the democratic parties.
In the UEC’s directive issued on August 11, it is stated that political parties are responsible for not receiving financial and material support directly or indirectly from the government or religious organizations, other organizations, or individuals of any foreign country, or being influenced by them.
The Commission said that it has finished reviewing all 85 political parties and that there are only seven parties left to investigate the funds, money, and property.
The National League for Democracy (NLD), which won the 2020 general election by a landslide, refused a party audit of the UEC.
According to the regime’s UEC, there are 92 registered political parties, 43 based on political ideology, 19 ethnically based parties, and 30 regionally based parties.
News – Than Lwin Times
