Security tightened prior to referendum

_{By Lieng Lern}
 
On 24 February 2008 night, the militia, policemen and army personnel went to check the guest registraters at many houses in Tachilek. Unregistered guests as well as house owners were detained and taken to the Township Peace and Development council office.
 
The source said, on 25 February 2008, Commander of Area Operations Command Myint Han, Chairman of District Peace and Development Council (DPDC) Khin Than and his secretary U Than Tun, Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman U Thein Myint and his secretary U Myint Thein, and the Tachilek police chief held a public meeting.  At the meeting, they announced, "Those who don't have current IDs cards and who are over 18 years old must get their ID or renew them".
 
In Burma, local authorities in every state are urging people to renew ID cards to support the new constitutional referendum in May 2008 and the general election to be held in 2010.
 
"The authorities are trying in many ways to make people vote for them in the election and bar Aung Sun Su kyi from participating in this election.  They also arrested many Shan leaders so they could not compete in the election," a local said.
 
Authorities are also persuading the public to become members of Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), according to several news agencies. Senior General Than Shwe is expected to discard his military uniform and become the first civilian president under the new constitution.