Thuta Linn — Thirty blind voters from the Myitkyina School for the Blind that voted at Polling Station No 68 in Aye Mya Tharyar Ward in Myitkyina Township at 1pm today faced some difficulties when there weren’t enough personnel assigned to help them.
“When the officials from the School for the Blind went to negotiate with polling station officers, they told us that they would provide assistance. Due to their blindness, or having poor vision, complications are bound to arise. Maybe they were just too busy because there they experienced difficulties when voting. For those that voted in the morning they said the polling station weren’t secure and it was very noisy. It lacked order, starting with the line-up. We wanted those responsible to help the disabled people with four or five people to assist them, but they didn’t have enough people,” said Daw Khin Win Myint Swe, vice principal of the blind school.
Forty-five disabled persons from the school were registered to vote at Polling Station No 68, fifteen disabled voters voted at Polling Station 67 in Jarmaikaung this morning, according to Daw Daung Lan, secretary for the school.
Although separate polling stations weren’t built for disabled people in other states and regions, some special arrangements were allegedly promised for the blind in Myitkyina Township.
“At first, we negotiated with them (election officials) so they can use braille. Everyone has been trained with this. But, we couldn’t even take them out from the polling stations. Now, we don’t have time. Only a few people were able to help us,” Daw Khin Win Myint Swe said.
One young blind male that tried to vote in Jarmaikaung wasn’t able after discovering his name on the voting list was spelled incorrectly.
There were 3,332 eligible voters, including 30 disabled voters, at Polling Station No 68.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
