Aung San Suu Kyi’s party set for big victory in Burmese election

Leader of Myanmar's opposition National League for Democracy party, Aung San Suu Kyi, speaks from her party headquarters Monday. (Mark Baker/AP)

RANGOON, Burma —The day after millions in Burma voted peacefully in the country’s first democratic election in years, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party Monday confidently projected victory as the ruling party began to speak of defeat.

Htay Oo, the acting chairman of the ruling military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, told Reuters: “We lost,” although there has been no concession statement. Some official vote tallies are expected by the end of the day, but final totals could take several days.

Suu Kyi, 70, whose long battle for democracy in Burma made her an international human rights icon, appeared at the National League for Democracy headquarters in Rangoon Monday morning to a cheering throng, saying it was “too early” to start congratulating winners.

But, she added, “I think you all have an idea of the results.”

Millions of the country’s 30 million voters had braved hot sun and long lines to cast their ballots in the historic election Sunday, the first national democratic vote in 25 years.

More than 10,000 election observers were on hand to make sure the process went smoothly, but concerns rose Monday over claims that a number of ballots flowed in late that tipped the balance for the military-backed USDP in some races in further-flung states.

“People stood hours in line in the sun and celebrated yesterday and today there is a huge disappointment because their vote didn’t count,” said Meenakashi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch, who observed voting in Kachin state.

Hundreds of supporters of the NLD remained on the street after voting in front of the party headquarters, waving red balloons, dancing, and celebrating. They watched the preliminary vote counting on big-screen TVs until late in the night, cheering every time a yellow ballot was unfurled with a stamp next to a golden peacock, the symbol for the NLD.

“We have been suffering for 25 years. Today, we change the old system and bring in a new one,” Theingi, a homemaker and mother of two, said. She uses only one name.

source:washingtonpost