The junta runs media the New Light of Myanmar on 3 May reported that the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) is one of the political parties that were permitted to be set up by the Union Elections Commission to contest in the forthcoming general elections.
Meanwhile the Union Democratic Alliance Organization (UDAO) that was formed by the veteran Shan politician Shwe Ohn has yet to know whether its application is being considered by the UEC or not. It had applied for registration months before most of the other parties were formed. But according to CEU, the party applied only on 8 April.
The SNDP was formed in early April and applied for its registration to the Election Commission on the same day. Its party Chairman is Sai Ai Pao, the well to do salt trader from Namkham who has made his home in Rangoon and its Vice Chairman is Sai Saung Si, former elected representative of Kyaukme constituency No#2 in 1990.
The party’s aim is to pave the way for the people in Shan State to have more choices and to represent them in working for their rights and to protect them. In addition, the party is also to comply with the principles that were written in the 2008 constitution, according to its Chairman.
“We are going to contest peacefully in accordance with the constitution. We don’t oppose any party and organizations because we regard all as friends, not enemy,” Sai Ai Pao told SHAN in April.
The party plans to contest in 40 out of 55 townships in Shan State, and other than these, it is going to contest in other states and divisions: Kachin and Karenni states and Rangoon, Mandalay, Pegu and Sagaing divisions where most Shan residents are living as well. In Burma, Shan has the second biggest population after the Burman.
The party is already known by the local people in Shan State North as Kyar Phyu Party (White Tiger Party).
Apart from the SNDP, another party called Northern Shan State Progressive Party (Northern-SSPP) led by Chan Khaw, is also expected to be contesting in Shan State North. It applied for its registration on 23 April. Its headquarters is based in Lashio, the capital town of the Shan State North. But it is yet to be known whether its application will be approved or not.
At present, the SNDP has reportedly selected two candidates for Muse and one for Namkham townships, northern Shan State to compete in the area. The two from Muse are Sai Mawk Kham Soi (aka) Sai Phoe Aung and Sai Phoe Myat, both former chairmen of Muse Shan Literature and Culture Association (Muse-SLCA). The candidate in Namkham is Sai Ohn Kyaw, a veterinary surgeon, according to local residents in Muse. “They have yet to start their campaigns.”
According to reports from the junta, in Shan State East’s Pongpakhem subtownship of Mongton Township, opposite Chiangmai, alone will have 23 polling booths, according to sources from the Thai-Burma border.
Security service for each polling station will be three tiered: the first by the Elections Commission and Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC), the second by the police, Red Cross and fire brigades and the last by militia units and the Burma Army.
At the same time, local businessmen are also being urged by the junta to become members of its Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP).
It had also in April instructed both regional and divisional level commands to carry out census and compile lists of eligible voters within their respective areas, said a source close to the junta officials on the Thai border.
Source :http://shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3021:shan-party-allowed-to-register-for-elections&catid=85:politics&Itemid=266
Comments
Post a Comment