Myanmar govt told to control Shan troops
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The government is required to control its troops to avoid armed conflict ahead of the November 8 election, political parties say.
The Shan State Army (SSA) on September 16 asked all political parties to temporarily stop conducting election campaigns in Shan State as government troops were in conflict with the rebel group.
Sai Leik, joint secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, said: “The SSA needs to work with the government so that the election can be held successfully. Political parties campaigning in SSA-controlled areas could face trouble. It should put pressure on the government and Tatmadaw [armed forces] to end the trouble.”
Sai Leik said the government was responsible for holding free and fair elections and the Tatmadaw should support its efforts. He said the Union Election Commission should stand independently as a third party. “We want to urge the whole of government to control the troops, prevent clashes with the armed groups and take charge of correcting the voter lists. If the election is held amidst armed conflict, it will not be free and fair,” he added.
The SSA should put pressure on the government not on political parties, Sai Leik said.
Than Ngwe, Lower House candidate of the National League for Democracy (NLD), said: “I demand the SSA works with the government and the public as this elections are of utmost importance to the country. It is not easy to hold elections. I want the election to be peaceful. I want all ethnic armed groups to help the election.”
Naing Zaw Naing, chairman of Nansang Township NLD, said: “We want peace. We hope that the election will be held successfully and clashes will end. The SSA has no right to limit campaigning in the areas it controls.”
Colonel Sai La, SSA spokesperson, said: “Clashes broke out in the last week of August. This was because the government was launching military operations. The government is using fighter jets and helicopters. We told the political parties to take notice of the conditions in the region while campaigning and therefore we had to control the campaigns.”
There were seven clashes from the end of August to September 16. The SSA said the area remained insecure and requested an end to electoral campaigning.
Colonel Sai La said the SSA would inform the government’s Union Peacemaking Work Committee about the violence, which has occurred in Kholan, Linkhe, Mongpun, Loilem and Kyaukme in Shan State.
