The Election Commission warns that fraudulent complaints about the recent polls could lead to three years in prison plus hefty fines. This is a clear message to Burma’s opposition leader who said she would look into allegations of vote rigging. In the meantime, she filed a petition with the High Court to see her party, the National League for Democracy, reinstated.

Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Myanmar's military government has warned that complaints about fraud and vote rigging in the 7 November elections, the first in 20 years, will not be tolerated. This appears to be a move against Aung San Suu Kyi who was released last Saturday after seven years under house arrest. Upon walking free, Burma’s opposition leader vowed to probe alleged voting irregularities that favoured pro-regime parties.

Aung San Suu Kyi, 65, has spent 15 of the past 21 years under arrest. For her, her future appears to be quite a challenge because she will have to balance the expectations of those who see her as an icon of democracy against the realities of the country and its ruling junta, which will jump at any opportunity to put her again under house arrest again.

Nevertheless, Suu Kyi went on a legal offensive on Tuesday, filing an affidavit with the country's High Court to have her political party reinstated. The Election Commission disbanded it earlier this year for failing to reregister after choosing not to take part in the election.

The same Election Commission warned on Tuesday that anyone making fraudulent complaints about the polls could face harsh punishment. Anyone who files fraudulent charges of vote cheating could get three years in prison, a 300,000 kyats fine (US$ 300), or both.

Full results from this month's elections have yet to be released, but figures so far give the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party a solid majority in both houses of parliament.

When she was released, Aung San Suu Kyi told thousands of supporters that she would pursue the struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar. At a press conference, she spoke about reconciliation and justice. She also said that she wanted to speak to Senior General Than Shwe, whom she has not met since 2002.

The struggle of the Nobel Prize laureate will not be limited to 7 November elections. It will include the issues of jailed political prisoners (about 2,100) and ethnic minorities.

Aung San Suu Kyi said that she plans to meet leaders from Burma’s minorities (Kachin, Karen, Shan and others) to revive the Panglong Agreement, signed in 1947 by her father Aung San a few months before formal independence. The goal is to achieve a second Panglong Agreement that would define the autonomy of minorities within the framework of a Burmese state.

• burma
• myanmar
• aung
• san
• suu
• kyi
• elections
• fraud
• crackdown