Burma’s elections are shaping up to be the detestable sham the dictatorship’s sternest critics have warned. Unlike those held – and then callously ignored – in 1990, no credible opposition is running. Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy won the 1990 poll, is a prisoner after spending 15 of the past 21 years under arrest. She is barred from participating. Not satisfied with the quarter of parliamentary seats reserved for the military, dozens of officers retired last week so they could contest “civilian” seats. Philip Crowley, a US assistant secretary of state, accurately said of this mockery: “A dictator in civilian clothing is still a dictator.”
缅甸的选举正逐渐发展成为对其独裁政府持最严厉批评态度的人士警告过的那种可憎骗局。与1990年其结果遭到无情拒绝的选举不同，此次选举没有可靠的反对党。曾领导全国民主联盟(NLD)赢得1990年选举的昂山素季(Aung San Suu Kyi)，在过去21年里有15年时间遭到监禁，目前仍在狱中。她被禁止参加竞选。由于不满足于仅为军方保留四分之一的议会席位，数十名军官上周辞职，以便能够竞选“平民”席位。美国助理国务卿菲利普•克劳利(Philip Crowley)对这出闹剧进行了精辟的描述：“披着民主外衣的独裁者仍是独裁者。”