Shan, Palaung parties will contest in all legislative levels

Two of Burma’s ethnic political parties: Shan National Democratic Party (SNDP) and Taang (Palaung) National Party (TNP) are believed to be planning to contest in all legislative levels of Shan State, according to sources close to the party leadership.

Sai Ai Pao, photo: Myanmar Times

The SNDP will contest in 40 townships throughout the whole Shan State and intends to place its candidates in all houses: upper, lower and state/regional legislature, according to the party Chairman Sai Ai Pao.

“We will contest in all legislative in Shan State,” he confirmed to SHAN. “However I cannot confirm what the party’s plans will be for the rest of the country”, he continued, adding that any further statements to this effect would be made officially through the party spokesperson. S.H.A.N attempted to contact the spokesperson and at the time of writing had not yet managed to obtain the correct contact details.

Likewise the TNP, said to be planning to contest in 6 townships respectively across the Shan State in the upcoming general elections, will also be contesting in three houses, according to Mai Phone Kyaw, Secretary of exile-based Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF).

The party expects to field its candidates in townships where there are significant Palaung populations such as Mantong, Namhsan, Kutkhai, Namtu, Lashio and Namkham, Mai Phone Kyaw said.

Moreover, the party has reportedly begun canvassing support in other areas, namely Mongmit and Mongkut (Mogok), but has yet to decide whether it will commit to contesting in those regions.

The Political Parties Registration Law prescribes that any party running for parliamentary seats in the whole Union, shall enlist at least 1,000 members to the commission within 90 days from the day it is granted permission for registration as a political party. On the other hand, if it is a party running for seats in only one region / state, shall enlist at least 500 members within 90 days. If a political party is unable to submit the prescribed number of party members to the commission, its registration shall be cancelled and that party shall be abolished.

According to the constitution drafted by the junta in 2008, there will be 5 ballot boxes in each polling station: 1 for upper house, 1 for lower house, 2 for state/region legislature and another one for minority candidates representing communities with at least 0.1% of the total population.

There are so far 14 political parties that will contest in the whole Shan State, North, East and South: Kayan National Party (KNP), Shan National Democratic Party (SNDP), Taang (Palaung) National Party (PNP), Wa National Unity Party (WNUP), Wa Democratic Party (WDP), Northern Shan State Progressive Party (NSSPP), Kokang Democracy and Unity Party (KDUP), Pa-O National Organization (PNO), Inn National Development Party (INDP), Lahu National Development Party (LNDP), Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and National Unity Party (NUP), National Democratic Froce (NDF), Union Democracy Party (UDP) and Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics (UMFNP).

Source:http://shanland.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3113:shan-palaung-parties-will-contest-in-all-legislative-levels&catid=85:politics&Itemid=266