Christians have a responsibility in picking candidates who are worthy of their trust, the prelate said. They are called to strengthen the path towards “forgiveness, understanding and reconciliation. The electoral commission bars foreign observers and journalists from the 7 November poll because the country has “abundant experience” in holding elections.

Yangon (AsiaNews) – Voters must personally promote “peace and development” by choosing in the 7 November elections candidates who are worthy of their trust and capable, together with the people, to secure a path that leads to “forgiveness, understanding and reconciliation,” said Mgr Charles Bo, archbishop of Yangon. The prelate spoke this way during his homilies in recent days, addressed to both Christian believers as well as Senior General Than Shwe, leader of Myanmar’s ruling junta. Meanwhile, the country’s electoral commission announced that no foreign observers or journalists would be allowed into the country because it had “abundant experience” in holding elections, this, 20 years since the last one was held.

For Mgr Bo, the Burmese are waiting with impatience the upcoming elections set for 7 November because anyone “who wants justice, liberty and development must get involved.” Everyone has a responsibility in picking “candidates who are worthy of their trust”; everyone is called to strengthen the process of “peace and development” that leads to “forgiveness, understanding and reconciliation”.

Such a task is even heavier for Christians who must be “seeds of love, forgiveness and mutual understanding as true children of God” so that “your aspirations for Myanmar” may be realised in the near future.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference o Myanmar (CBCM) and the Council of Churches have issued a four-point message for Senior General Than Shwe, leader of the country’s military junta, the prelate said.

Christian leaders expressed their gratitude that the government has set a “date for the election”. They noted that “all Christian Churches” are praying “for justice, liberty, peace and development” in Myanmar and for the election’s success.

Similarly, Catholic bishops and the Council of Church of Burma have urged the faithful to pick candidates who “promote justice, freedom, equality, peace and development” in the country.

Since the junta has said that “free elections” represent a “stage in the country’s path of democratisation”, Christian leaders hope that the former will be free from “threats, bribery, perjury and compulsion.”

In addition, everyone, they insist, be they lay people and Christian, are responsible for the country’s political life. Even if “we (bishops) cannot tell voters how to vote”, we can indicate the “path of justice, liberty and unity” they must follow to oppose “lies and injustice”.

The elections on 7 November will determine the country’s new parliament. However, 25 per cent of seats have been already assigned by law to members of the military. These elections are designed to mark Myanmar’s transition from military to civilian control, under the supervision of the military.

For human rights groups, Western governments and analysts, the whole election process is a farce because the main opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is still under house arrest and her party, the country’s largest political movement, the National League for Democracy (NLD), was banned by the Election Commission.

At the same time, Election Commission Chairman Thein Soe said that no foreign-based observers or journalists would be allowed in to monitor the election. Only Myanmar-based diplomats will be able to observe the polls, whilst Myanmar-based journalists would also be more than adequate to cover the election. Indeed, as Thein Soe put it, “We have abundant experience in holding elections”, this despite the fact that these are the first elections in 20 years—the last ones were held in 1990 and won by the NLD but never recognised by the regime

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