BANGKOK, Oct8, Reuter: Watchers of Burmese Political Affairs, believe some form of coalition government could emerge from elections promised by the country’s military rulers.
Many people are cynical about the plans of the national unity party, the new name of the Burma socialist program party, which ruled the country for a quarter century of increasing poverty and political repression.
But a western diplomat in Rangoon said many people also believe it is possible that the government will allow, “A reasonably fair election.”
He said national unity’s main motivation for doing this was its confidence that it could win. He pointed out there were 200,000 party pensioners who would have. a strong reason for seeing that the party won.
Another diplomat said the party would have vastly more money than opposition groupings to spend on a campaign.
“They want to have the perception of a fair election and the smartest course to have would be one that would leave the people with the sensation that they’ve participated in a fair election,” a diplomat said. “If not one that produces an opposition government, then one that produces strong opposition participation.”
“Most Burmese are quite cynical, but educated Burmese think there are possibilities of some post-election coalition government,” he said.
Ne Win formally handed power to Sein Lwin in July in the face of mounting protests by students. Sein Lwin ordered troops to fire on protestors and thousands died in Rangoon alone, Doctors said, before he was replaced by the more compromising Maung Maung.
Maung Maung’s efforts at appeasement came too late, analysts say, and he was replaced by General Saw Maung in a September 18 military takeover that started a second round of bloodshed.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 14, 1988
