Suu Kyi Party Suspects 'Trick' After Election

But she says government has promised to respect will of the people
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 10, 2015 4:28 AM CST
Suu Kyi Party Suspects 'Trick' After Election
Buddhist monks receive offerings of rice from a shopkeeper outside Burma's opposition party National League for Democracy headquarters in Rangoon, Burma, on Tuesday.   (Mark Baker)

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party, which appears headed for a massive election victory, accused the government election panel Tuesday of intentionally delaying results, saying it may be trying "to play a trick." However, in an interview with the BBC, Suu Kyi did not repeat the claims by her party, only noting that the military-backed government has promised to respect the will of the people. She also said the party expects to win around 75% of the seats in parliament. The surprising accusation by the National League for Democracy added a worrying twist to what had been an amicable election, with the ruling party appearing to be taking its expected loss gracefully after the Sunday vote.

Nearly two full days after voting ended, the election commission has released results for only 83 seats in the 664-member parliament. "It doesn't make sense that they are releasing the results piece by piece. It shouldn't be like that," NLD spokesman Win Htein told reporters at Suu Kyi's house after a party meeting. "They are trying to be crooked." In the BBC interview, Suu Kyi said this time will be different from the 1990 election, which the NLD won overwhelmingly in a result that the military junta refused to recognize. "They've been saying repeatedly they'll respect the will of the people and that they will implement the results of the election," she said. Asked about the rule banning her from the presidency, she said she would act as the country's leader even if a colleague became president. "A rose by another name," she quipped. (More Aung San Suu Kyi stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X