News From Irrawaddy

Newly-registered Parties Face Financing Problems
By KO HTWE
Political parties planning to participate in Burma's general election will have to pay large fees that some of them say will place heavy strains on their finances.

NEWS ANALYSIS Party Registration Regulations Favor Wealthy By HTET AUNG Burma's Union Election Commission publishes the technical regulations for the registration of political parties, which favors elite candidates.

Mon to Move Weapons to New Base By LAWI WENG The Mon cease-fire group, the New Mon State Party (NMSP), will move some departments and its stockpile of weapons to a new undisclosed base.

Shan Rebels Say Junta Troops Killed in Clash By SAW YAN NAING About 20 Burmese junta soldiers are killed and eight injured during an ambush in Nam Zam Township in Shan State by Shan State Army-South soldiers.

Philippines Presses Burma on Suu Kyi By JIM GOMEZ / AP WRITER The Philippines vented its concern to Burma's top diplomat over pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's detention and exclusion from upcoming elections but got no hint of any change.

Nyi Nyi Aung Released By THE IRRAWADDY A Burmese-American activist who was sentenced to three years imprisonment in February has been freed, according to relatives.

Divisions over Party Registration Surfacing in NLD By BA KAUNG Some members of the National league for Democracy want to re-register as a party to contest this year's election, but others remain opposed.

Technical Regulations Favor Wealthy Candidates By KYAW THEIN KHA Technical regulations in Burma's forthcoming election have greatly increased the candidates' allowed campaign expenditure.

Gov't Ministers to Contest the Election By KYAW THEIN KHA More than 12 Burmese junta ministers are reportedly preparing to resign and to contest in the 2010 election.

Karen Leaders Forming Political Parties By SAW YAN NAING Several prominent Karen figures are reportedly busy forming political parties to contest this year's general election, while others are preparing to stand individually.

Australia Supports Considering UN Commission of Inquiry
By KO HTWE
The Australian government expresses support for investigating possible options to establish a United Nations commission of inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity in Burma.