BLOODY ELECTION PREDICTED FOR BURMA PARLIAMENT

Grey River Argus, 29 March 1949, Page 5

BLOODY ELECTION PREDICTED FOR BURMA PARLIAMENT

RANGOON, Marcfi 27.

Burma’s Communist Party has announced that it will wreck the proposed general election with “all the roi'ce at its command. Political leaders believe that guns, grenades, knives, and daggers will play a big part in any election campaign. However, the present disorders may prevent an election for a long time, although tomorrow was originally fixed as election day. Rebel ’ forces control at least 14 of Burma’s 35 political districts, and the disturbances continue in all of them. NEW CONSTITUTION Under Burma’s new constitution, an election must take place within IS months of independence from Britain, which was granted on April 4, 1948.

The Government has added four members to its three-man Election Commission in an effort to meet the July 4 deadline for the poll. The commission wirt investigate the extent of the disturbances, determine the number of districts affected, and recommend whether an election should be held.

If further postponement should be necessary, the Constitution will then have io be amended tQ allow tho present Government under Mr Thakin Nil to stay in office as a legal body.