Myanmar nationals determined to vote in referendum
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 27 April 2008 2143 hrs

	Photos  of

SINGAPORE: A referendum vote on whether Myanmar's military government can amend their country's constitution is ending on 29 April.

But not all Myanmar nationals living in Singapore will get to cast their vote because not all of them have been invited to do so.

Nonetheless, at least 2,000 Myanmar nationals were at the Myanmar Embassy on Sunday afternoon, trying to make their vote count.

Even though there are about 30,000 Myanmar nationals living in Singapore, the Myanmar Embassy has only sent out 10,000 invitation letters and SMSes asking them to vote in the referendum.

The 10,000 are said to be those on its database.

But the uninvited said their Myanmar passport is proof they are citizens too and they should be allowed to vote. Some have waited to do so since Friday – the first day of voting.

Moe Kyaw Thu, a Myanmar national, said: "They told me they would contact me. I waited for the whole evening and when I didn't get the call, I came back here yesterday afternoon. They again said they would contact me, so I waited until the embassy closed. I turned up again this morning..."

Myo Myint Maung, a member of the Overseas Burmese Patriots Activist Group, said: "This is the third consecutive day that I have come here to vote. So far, I have not been successful because I have no invitation letter although the referendum law says I can vote when I am above 18 years.

"Since Friday, I think only about 300 to 400 people have been able to vote. This process is taking too long. It really is too slow to accommodate all these voters."

Despite the long wait, the crowd has stayed patient, although some have made their views known through their t-shirts, which have the word "NO" on them.

Myanmar monks have also turned up at the embassy. They said their presence would help voters to stay calm.


- CNA/so