 |  |
| Referendum was held despite the country was severely hit by a cyclone |
Listen to audioBurma says new constitution overwhelmingly approved
The Burmese state media announced that the constitution, which was drafted by Burmese government, was approved by 92.5 percent of voters in a referendum carried out in two phases - first on May 10 and then May 24 in the cyclone-hit areas of the Irrawaddy delta and Rangoon.
The ruling generals said that by the end of a referendum process on Saturday, more than nine voters in ten had backed a controversial new constitution.
They say the constitution will pave the way for a general election in 2010.
However, a spokesperson of the opposition NLD party, U Thein Nyunt, rejected the announcement as a 'mere joke'.
UN hopeful on Burma relief access
|  |
| Only a quarter of the 2.4m affected have received help, the UN says |
The United Nations says there are encouraging signs of better co-operation from Burma on cyclone relief.
Kathleen Cravero, who heads the UN's Development Programme (UNDP), said foreign aid workers were finding it easier to gain access.
The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, earlier spoke of a more flexible attitude.
Five killed in Sri Lanka explosion
|  |
| The injured were rushed to local hospitals for treatment |
Military officials in Sri Lanka say at least seven people have been killed and more than sixty injured in an explosion on a train near the capital, Colombo.
They said the blast occurred in one of the compartments of the evening rush-hour commuter train at a suburban station.
Officials blamed the Tamil Tiger rebels for the blast.
There has been no comment from the Tigers yet.
Fighting has intensified in Sri Lanka since the breakdown of a ceasefire earlier this year.
Also in the news:
|  |
| Fire blazed the Burmese embassy in Bangkok |
-A fire broke out at the Burmese embassy building in Bangkok early on Monday but there have been no reports of death or injury.
- After five years under house arrest, legal experts said time is now due to release Burmese pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
- More reports about vote rigging during the referendum, witnesses told the BBC Burmese Service.
- Relief for cyclone victims is under way but huge number of refugees said they have not got anything
No comments:
Post a Comment