Kachin parties, independents denied EC approval

Duwa Mading Hkun Htu, the independent candidate for Kachin sub-state in Shan State was rejected by the Election Commission.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the Burmese military junta does not want any ethnic Kachin representation in Parliament or the Legislature except from its sponsored party. The Election Commission has summarily rejected approval of any Kachin political party or independent candidate from Kachin Sub-state in the country’s Shan State for the ensuing November 7 elections.

The registration of the Northern Shan State Progressive Party (NSPP) and then Duwa Mading Hkun Htu as an independent candidate were rejected without any reason by the Election Commission, said sources.

The political party and the independent candidate were to represent Kachin people in the Sub-state, in Northeast Shan State.

After the rejection of the NSPP, Duwa Hkun Htu wanted to contest as an independent for an ethnic Kachin seat in the State Parliament for the Sub-State.

“Election Commission rejected me but approved two Kachin candidates from the two parties sponsored by the junta ---- the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the National Unity Party (NUP), for a seat in the State Parliament from Kachin State,” said Duwa Hkun Htu.

Regarding his rejection, Duwa Hkun Htu said, “The Burmese junta does not want participation of any true Kachin political party or individual in the elections”. He has sent a letter to U Thein Soe, the head of the EC yesterday wanting to know the reasons for the rejection.

Similarly, the EC rejected the registration of Kachin political parties and independents in Kachin State, northern Burma.

The EC did not approve the Kachin State Progressive Party (KSPP) led by Dr. Manam Tu Ja, former Vice-President No. 2 of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) to contest the elections as well as the individual candidacy of 12 KSPP leaders.

The EC rejected the KSPP and NSPP, which could have been the main rivals of the junta-backed USDP in the two states, by alleging the two parties were linked to the KIO, which ignored the junta’s order to surrender weapons.

Now, the Kachin voters in the two states have no party of their choice to vote for and will have to vote reluctantly for the junta’s proxy parties.

Source:http://kachinnews.com/news/1751-kachin-party-independents-denied-ec-approval.html