Reuters reported that despite the devastation of the cyclone on May 2nd, Myanmar's military government still proceeded with elections for a military-drafted "constitution" legitimizing its rule. Voters in areas not affected by the cyclone were under government pressure to show up and vote "yes" while their dead fellow citizens floated in the rivers and deltas and the survivors waited in vain for aid. The government's propaganda blitz featured state-run TV adds warning of "foreign interference" and cheerful actresses singing "Let's go voting" and "Come along for voting" to a snappy disco beat.
Apparently voting in cyclone-devastated areas has been postponed for two weeks. I'm sure the despondent, starving family members of Myanmar's 100,000+ dead are deeply appreciative of the government-issued rain check.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment