NLD condemn junta for polling in Cyclone hit area

by Mizzima News

Thursday, 15 May 2008 00:03

New Delhi - Burma's main opposition party on Wednesday slammed the ruling junta for it's planned to continue with referendum polling on May 24, in the Cyclone-hit Irrawaddy delta and Rangoon division instead of adequately responding to the humanitarian crisis. The National League for Democracy (NLD) said as saving the lives of more than a million people made homeless by the deathly Cyclone Nargis is a race against time the government should concentrate on relief works rather than pushing ahead with a constitutional referendum. Nyan Win, the NLD spokesperson said, "We are saying that it is not a suitable time to hold the referendum. We strongly condemn this act." While the rest of the country held the referendum polling on May 10, the Junta postponed the referendum polling date for 47 townships in Irrawaddy and Rangoon division after Cyclone Nargis swept through Burma's delta region on May 2 and 3. Nyan Win said many people have lost their lives in the Cyclone and other lost their properties including their national identity card. The NLD questioned the government on how they planned to establish the voting list within a short time, as there has been many changes in the people's live after the Cyclone. "Voters in this region will have no time to think of the polling as they are now struggling for survival," Nyan Win said. According the UN Cyclone Nargis has killed more than 100,000 people and left at least 1.5 million people homeless. With the Burmese junta imposing restrictions on foreign aid worker's entry, aid has not been able to reach to many of the hardest hit areas. < Prev   Next >