Burmese junta restricts contact between political parties and foreign organizations

Burma's junta on Friday decided to limit political parties' ability to meet with international organizations ahead of next year's elections.

The 92 authorized political parties will have to request authorization from the Electoral Commission if they wish to meet organizations or individuals from abroad.

“

,” the Electoral Commission said, accusing foreign embassies and non-governmental organizations of interference in the 2020 elections.

The South Asian nation has been in turmoil and its economy has been in tatters since the February 2021 coup that toppled the government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The junta annulled the results of the November 2020 legislative elections, won overwhelmingly by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), last year on suspicion of fraud, although international observers estimated that the vote went well.

Political parties protest

Burmese political parties protested against this new decree.

For Soe Thura Tun, former deputy of the NLD, this decision is undemocratic and does not respect the right to freedom of association.

"

," he told AFP on Saturday.

Ko Ko Gyi, president of the People's Party, considers this announcement unprecedented and considers that it does not bode well for the next election to be a real democratic exercise.

"

," he told AFP on Saturday.

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the international community not to support plans for a “

” election for next year's elections.

"

," insisted the head of US diplomacy from Phnom Penh where he met representatives of Asean.