Opinion | Editorials
Don't hold your breath on this one
A general election in Myanmar may mean just that - an election of the generals
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:21 February 11, 2008
The Myanmar military junta claims there will be general elections in 2010. No one should hold their breath waiting for it to happen as its likelihood seems remote in the extreme.
There is an old maxim, "You can't change a leopard by its spots" and, with this in mind, having grabbed power after the last general elections in 1962, the junta is more than likely to retain power should the generals not like the result of the "democratic" vote.
The military junta has also announced there will be a referendum on its proposed constitutional reform - something which has taken it nearly all its time in power to formulate, or perhaps get so that it favours the present regime.
But as the reform proposals have not yet been released, it is not possible to say who it favours, yet judging by past performance of the junta, it is unlikely to favour the citizens.
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