Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Burma Announces Date of Parliamentary Elections

   The voting will be the first since 1990

   VOA News 13 August 2010

   Burma's  military government says the country's long-awaited elections
   will be held November 7.
   The  regime  made  the announcement Friday over state-controlled radio
   and television outlets.
   The November elections will be the first in Burma since 1990, when the
   opposition  National  League  for Democracy party won in a landslide.Â
   The ruling junta refused to recognize the results.
   The  NLD  refused  to  register for this year's elections, because its
   leader,  Aung San Suu Kyi, is effectively barred from participating in
   the  elections.  The Nobel Peace laureate has been under house arrest
   for 15 of the last 21 years.
   At least 40 political parties have registered for the elections, which
   critics  have called a sham designed to keep the ruling military junta
   in power.  At least seven of the parties standing in the election are
   aligned with the regime. Â
   The  NLD was officially disbanded in May under the current laws, but a
   group  of  NLD  members  have formed a breakaway party to stand in the
   elections.
   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters

.