PRESIDENT Arroyo urged the Myanmar government to reconsider
its decision to bar foreign observers in its coming May elections, saying that
allowing in foreign parties will not threaten its sovereignty.
Arroyo, in a statement issued Sunday, said that it is a "sad
day for democracy and our region" after Myanmar rejected the proposal of the
United Nations to allow foreign election observers to monitor the conduct of the
elections.
"A central pillar of democracy is a free and fair election.
Outside observers are not a threat to any nation's sovereignty. Rather, the
participation of outside election observers is a sign of strength. These
observers help show the world the credibility of the election process itself as
we had long done in the Philippines," she said.
The President said it is not yet late for Myanmar to
reconsider.
"It is a small but modest step towards democratization that
is long over due in Myanmar," she added.
Myanmar on Saturday rejected the proposals of UN special
envoy Ibrahim Gambari to observe certain reforms in the upcoming constitutional
referendum in May and multiparty elections in 2010.
Gambari's proposal, including allowing independent observers to monitor the
elections and allowing the UN to provide technical expertise for the voting were
rejected by the Myanmar government which said that there was no precedent for it
and it infringed on Myanmar's sovereignty. - Jocelyn D. Montemayor
