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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Formal Suu Kyi ban in Burma poll | Formal Suu Kyi ban in Burma poll |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Burma's military rulers have issued a law which will bar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in planned elections. | Burma's military rulers have issued a law which will bar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in planned elections. |
| The new law prohibits anyone with a a criminal conviction from taking part. | The new law prohibits anyone with a a criminal conviction from taking part. |
| Ms Suu Kyi was already excluded from political office by a clause in the constitution which bars people with foreign spouses. | Ms Suu Kyi was already excluded from political office by a clause in the constitution which bars people with foreign spouses. |
| She has been detained for most of the past 20 years on various charges, after winning the last elections in 1990. | |
| The Political Parties Registration Law was published in official newspapers, in a series of daily announcements of laws intended to guide the elections. No date has yet been set for polls which the military intends to hold. | The Political Parties Registration Law was published in official newspapers, in a series of daily announcements of laws intended to guide the elections. No date has yet been set for polls which the military intends to hold. |
| Credence doubt | Credence doubt |
| The election law bars anyone convicted in a court of law, members of religious orders and civil servants from joining political parties. | The election law bars anyone convicted in a court of law, members of religious orders and civil servants from joining political parties. |
| It says that political parties have 60 days from Monday, when the law was promulgated, to register with an Election Committee whose members are to be appointed by the junta. | It says that political parties have 60 days from Monday, when the law was promulgated, to register with an Election Committee whose members are to be appointed by the junta. |
| The United States has reiterated its scepticism that any poll in which opposition figures are barred will have any credibility. | The United States has reiterated its scepticism that any poll in which opposition figures are barred will have any credibility. |
| "We urge the authorities to begin a genuine political dialogue with all stakeholders as a first step towards credible elections," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters. | "We urge the authorities to begin a genuine political dialogue with all stakeholders as a first step towards credible elections," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters. |
| "We are concerned by the Burmese authorities' unilateral decision to begin releasing the election laws without first engaging in substantive dialogue with the democratic opposition or ethnic minority leaders," he said. | "We are concerned by the Burmese authorities' unilateral decision to begin releasing the election laws without first engaging in substantive dialogue with the democratic opposition or ethnic minority leaders," he said. |
| "We remain sceptical that the elections planned for this year will be credible," he added. | "We remain sceptical that the elections planned for this year will be credible," he added. |
| Regional and international human rights organisations have documented continued harassment, persecution and detention of government critics. | Regional and international human rights organisations have documented continued harassment, persecution and detention of government critics. |
| Ms Suu Kyi was convicted last August of violating the terms of her house arrest by briefly sheltering an American who swam uninvited to her lakeside residence. | Ms Suu Kyi was convicted last August of violating the terms of her house arrest by briefly sheltering an American who swam uninvited to her lakeside residence. |
| She was sentenced to a new term of house arrest that is to end this November; her latest appeal against that sentence was rejected by the Supreme Court last month. | She was sentenced to a new term of house arrest that is to end this November; her latest appeal against that sentence was rejected by the Supreme Court last month. |
| The regime enacted five election-related laws on Monday, two of which have now been made public. Three more are to be unveiled in coming days. | The regime enacted five election-related laws on Monday, two of which have now been made public. Three more are to be unveiled in coming days. |
| Critics say the elections, the first to be held in Burma for 20 years, will be a sham designed to entrench the military's grip on power. | Critics say the elections, the first to be held in Burma for 20 years, will be a sham designed to entrench the military's grip on power. |