Major Myanmar parties step up bid to get ethnic vote

Skirmishes broke out in the northern part of the country, but politicians led by the National League for Democracy (NLD) are undeterred. Campaigns have been stepped up as both the NLD and the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party vie for ethnic people’s votes.

In Kachin State, according to the Naushawng Education Network poll, the NLD leads. Based on data gathered in late September in Bhamo, Mohnyin, Mogaung, Myitkyina, Waingmaw and Putao townships, where 2,430 voters of various ethnicities were surveyed, 21 per cent said they would vote for NLD. In Kachin State, the Democratic Party and the Union Solidarity and Development Party both had 13 per cent. 

The respondents were most concerned about the constitutional amendments, the building of the federal union and the civil war.

Last week, Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi led campaigns to Rakhine and Shan states. In the Rakhine State, the key parties are the Arakan National Party and the Rakhine National Development Party, which won 35 seats in the 2010 election.

Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan Party, called for unity among all ethnicities. He said disunity had led to the disintegration of communities over the past 200 years. 

He said the more ethnic Rakhines there are in parliament, the more the parliament can be used to manage natural resources in Rakhine State.

“Let us serve the Rakhine people. We can build a better state,” he said. “If the Rakhine people seek opportunities in the parliament in unity, we won’t be such a poor state anymore. If we are empowered and autonomous, at least a bullet won’t be shot.”

In Namkham Township, northern Shan State, the Shan National League for Democracy (SNLD) launched a campaign on October 20, drawing about 3,000 supporters. A major rival the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, but to Sai Leik, joint secretary of the SNLD, the biggest rival is the ruling party.

On November 8, SNLD will be competing in all constituencies in Shan State and running for some Kachin, Kayah and Mandalay seats.

In Kayah State, interest in the election is low, according to Kayah National Race Democracy Party chairman Saw Deniar. Difficulty in travelling to polling stations was cited the major reason for that, while so far few people have bothered to check the voter lists.

There are over 170,000 eligible voters and a total of 229 polling stations in Loikaw, Demawso, Pruhso, Shadaw, Bawlakha, Hpasawng and Maisal townships in Kayah State. Over 220 candidates, including incumbent union ministers Soe Thein and Aung Min, are competing for 11 political parties. There is only one polling station for every 10 villages.

“Routes to polling stations are very far and include cliffs and highlands. We have informed the commission about this. In 2010, every villager voted on the election day. The polling then was managed by village administrators,” said Saw Deniar.

Hpaw Lay Say, an ethnic Kayan living in Naung Pale village in Demawso Township, said: “We heard different parties came to our village. We didn’t go there since we’re not interested.”

Skirmishes were reported in several parts of Shan State. On October 21, a bomb exploded in Monghsu Township – the scene of fighting between government forces and the Shan State Army (SSA), also known as the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), which did not sign the recent nationwide ceasefire agreement.

The Tatmadaw attacked the SSPP/SSA from October 15-18, said Col Sai La from the SSA.

On October 15, the government signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement with eight armed ethnic organisations – the Karen National Union (KNU), the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army; the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army; the Karen Peace Council; the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation; the Chin National Front; the All Burma Students Democratic Front; and the Arakan Liberation Party. 

Days after the signing, Maj-Gen Saw Bi Latt Sein, the adjutant-general of the Karen National Liberation Army, said the Tatmadaw was deploying more troops in KNU-controlled areas.

 “The Tatmadaw is deploying more troops every day, despite the NCA [national ceasefire agreement] … We don’t know what the Tatmadaw will do next. Their explanation was that the heavy weapons are there to defend against outside enemies. We don’t know who these outside enemies are,” Maj-Gen Saw Bi Latt Sein said.

Despite the skirmishes, the eight groups are working to include all other 13 ethnic groups in the NCA. A top-leader meeting is scheduled for some time before mid-November, according to Phado Saw Khwe Htoo Win, the general secretary of KNU.