Myanmar junta sentences Aung San Suu Kyi to jail for electoral fraud
Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday was sentenced to three years in jail with hard labor after a court found her guilty of electoral fraud. Zabuthiri Township judge Maung Maung Khin handed down the sentence at a junta-controlled closed court in the Naypyitaw Detention Centre, News Agency, Myanmar Now reported. Apart from Suu Kyi, other two leaders (Win Myint and Min Thu) from the ousted civilian government, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) party won the 2020 election in a landslide, were accused of violating Section 130 (a) of the Penal Code by unfairly influencing the election commission. The military council’s allegations were based on the report of 2,000 double votes, found after one year of investigation carried out since the February 2011 coup. Some 75 percent of Myanmar’s more than 37 million registered voters participated in the 2020 general election, according to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. However, the junta vowed to confront the alleged fraud with legal action against several NLD leaders and party members, as well as the more than 420 members of the previous Union Election Commission and nearly 2,500 members of local election commissions, reported Myanmar Now. Suu Kyi, 77, has already been sentenced to 17 years in prison for corruption and sedition charges. Recently, in August, she was handed a six-year sentence for four corruption charges after the military accused her of abusing her position as party leader to benefit a private foundation named after her mother, Daw Khin Kyi, as well as an affiliated project. Notably, the military detained Suu Kyi in February 2021 as it seized power in Myanmar. Myanmar’s military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is the one who led a coup against an elected civilian government in 2021 and detained Aung San Suu Kyi over alleged election irregularities. In August last year, General Hlaing declared himself Prime Minister of a newly formed caretaker government. During an address to the nation on August 1, he repeated a pledge to hold elections by 2023. More than 1,000 civilians have been killed by Myanmar security forces with thousands of others arrested, according to the United Nations, amid a crackdown on strikes and protests which has derailed the country’s tentative democracy and prompted international condemnation. In a recent update, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said the conflict has intensified over the past month, with increased reports of army raids across Myanmar, especially in the northwest and southeast regions. (ANI)
Seat sharing among coalition partners has almost been finalized: Dahal
CPN (Maoist Center) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal said that seat sharing among the coalition partners for upcoming elections has almost been finalized. Dahal, who arrived at Birendranagar in Surkhet district today to address a training program organized by CPN (Maoist Center) Karnali Province Committee, said so while talking to the mediapersons at the Surkhet Airport. Dahal said that they will soon reach an agreement on seat sharing among the current five-party coalition by clearly determining the constituencies and Provinces. Stating that there was no consensus in the current coalition, he added, "We will forge a balanced electoral alliance for the Province Assembly and House of Representatives (HoR) elections this time." He ruled out any possibility of electoral alliance with the CPN-UML. Moreover, the former Prime Minister also assured that they will contest the upcoming elections by further strengthening the current coalition. According to him, preparations are underway to form his party's government in the Karnali Province. Dahal also reaffirmed that he will contest in the HoR election from constituency 3 in Chitwan district. It may be noted that Dahal was elected from the same constituency in the last HoR election in 2017. Furthermore, he said that his party was eager to merge with the CPN (Unified Socialist). The newest leftist party led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal was formed following a split from CPN-UML led by another former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Dahal said that although CPN (Maoist Center) and CPN (Unified Socialist) have agreed to keep their respective election symbols while contesting the upcoming elections, they were mulling to bring out the same manifesto, said Dahal.
Argentine president says man tried to shoot vice president
A man was detained Thursday night after he aimed a handgun at point-blank range toward Argentina’s politically powerful Vice President Cristina Fernández, and President Alberto Fernández said the assassination attempt failed because the gun did not fire, Associated Press reported.
“A man pointed a firearm at her head and pulled the trigger,” the president said in a national broadcast.
He called it “the most serious incident since we recovered democracy” in 1983 and urged political leaders, and society at large, to repudiate the incident.
Supporters of the vice president have been gathering in the streets surrounding her home since last week, when a prosecutor called for a 12-year sentence for Fernández as well as a life-long prohibition in holding public office as part of a case involving alleged corruption in public works during her 2007-2015 presidency. Fernández, who is not related to the current president, has denied all charges.
The president spoke shortly after video from the scene broadcast on local television channels showed Fernández exiting her vehicle surrounded by supporters outside her home when a man could be seen extending his hand with what looked like a pistol.
The vice president ducked as supporters surrounding the person appeared shocked at what was happening amid the commotion in the Recoleta neighborhood of Argentina’s capital.
The man, whose identity was not released by authorities, was detained seconds into the incident.
The president said the firearm had five bullets “and didn’t fire even though the trigger was pulled.”
There was no indication that the vice president suffered any harm. Her wheareabouts were unknown.
“A person who was identified by those who were close to him who had a gun was detained by (the vice president’s) security personnel,” Security Minister Aníbal Fernández told local cable news channel C5N, according to Associated Press.
The minister said he wanted to be careful in providing details until the investigation learned more.
Unverified video posted on social media shows the pistol almost touched Fernández’s face.
State-run news agency Télam identified the alleged gunman as Fernando Andrés Zabak, a Brazilian citizen. Officials had not confirmed the information.
Government officials were quick to describe the incident as an assassination attempt.
“When hate and violence are imposed over the debate of ideas, societies are destroyed and generate situations like the one seen today: an assassination attempt,” Economy Minister Sergio Massa said.
Ministers in President Alberto Fernández’s government issued a news release saying they “energetically condemn the attempted homicide” of the vice president. “What happened tonight is of extreme gravity and threatens democracy, institutions and the rule of law,” reads the release.
Former President Mauricio Macri also repudiated the attack. “This very serious event demands an immediate and profound clarification by the judiciary and security forces,” Macri wrote on Twitter.
Patricia Bullrich, president of the opposition Republican Proposal party, criticized the president, saying he is “playing with fire” because “instead of seriously investigating a serious incident, he accuses the opposition and the press, decreeing a national holiday to mobilize activists.”
Tensions have been running high in the upper class Recoleta neighborhood since the weekend, when the vice president’s supporters clashed with police in the streets surrounding her apartment amid an effort by law enforcement officers to clear the area. Following the clashes what had been a strong police presence around the vice president’s apartment was reduced, Associated Press reported.
When Fernández leaves her apartment every day at around noon, she greets supporters and signs autographs before getting in her vehicle to go to the Senate. She repeats the same routine every evening.
Following the incident, allies of the vice president quickly pointed the finger at the opposition for what they say is hateful speech that promotes violence. In recent days, several key officials have said opposition leaders were looking for a fatality.
UML sets September 7 deadline for recommendation of candidates
The CPN-UML has directed its subordinate committees to recommend the name of candidates within September 7 for the elections to the House of Representatives and Province Assembly scheduled for November 20. Inter-party directives issued by party Chairperson KP Sharma Oli on August 31 to the decisions of the fourth central committee meeting held on August 26 and 27 has determined September 7 as the deadline for the recommendation of candidates. The district and province committees should recommend the name of candidates to the centre with opinion in the recommendation of the party's constituency committee. Name of candidates should be recommended towards the proportional representation electoral system on the basis of inclusiveness and name of three candidates including a woman should be recommended from central level of party’s people's organisation.
