Burma is holding elections next month. 20 years ago was the last time it did so. The winner then was Aung San Suu Kyi. She's been banned or locked up ever since. So we won't be holding our breath for democracy this time either. The military automatically gets 1/4 of the seats. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, the overwhelming winner last time, is not participating, unless the junta makes major concessions, which seems highly unlikely. There are a number of other parties but their chances are slim, as no foreign observers will be around to see how fair the poll is. The military have a few parties in the running too. Their chances are better! Myanmar, as it is now officially called, is audible here in the afternoons and at night on 49m. There are even English programmes. The QSL is from the Burma Broadcasting Service in 1972. Every evening at 1730 local Cape Town time there would be an English language show, with the last 15 minutes before sign off playing instrumental old standards. They were songs my dad knew well and I'd go and hum them to him to get their names. I must have sent in 7 or 8 reports with this kind of detail and finally got the response. Burma attained independence from British rule in 1948 but the 1972 programme still sounded like an Asian BBC home service!
Monday 18 October 2010
No hope for Suu Kyi
Burma is holding elections next month. 20 years ago was the last time it did so. The winner then was Aung San Suu Kyi. She's been banned or locked up ever since. So we won't be holding our breath for democracy this time either. The military automatically gets 1/4 of the seats. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, the overwhelming winner last time, is not participating, unless the junta makes major concessions, which seems highly unlikely. There are a number of other parties but their chances are slim, as no foreign observers will be around to see how fair the poll is. The military have a few parties in the running too. Their chances are better! Myanmar, as it is now officially called, is audible here in the afternoons and at night on 49m. There are even English programmes. The QSL is from the Burma Broadcasting Service in 1972. Every evening at 1730 local Cape Town time there would be an English language show, with the last 15 minutes before sign off playing instrumental old standards. They were songs my dad knew well and I'd go and hum them to him to get their names. I must have sent in 7 or 8 reports with this kind of detail and finally got the response. Burma attained independence from British rule in 1948 but the 1972 programme still sounded like an Asian BBC home service!
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