Htoe Myar — Election observers in Karenni State had mixed feelings about the success of the recent election with some saying it was disorganized and others reporting of polling station officers impeding on their abilities to do their job. Despite all these hurdles end results were positive said some.
U Pascal Lal from the National Youth Network told BNI Newsroom a polling officer forced them to leave official stations.
“At first a polling station officer in Hpruso drove us out. Later, the officer asked for our cards.” After showing them, they still had to leave. “Later we were accepted.”
U Pascal Lal said a polling officer in Konethar made observation groups stay one mile from a voting station. In some wards officials were shouting at voters confused about the electoral process. In other cases they wore party clothing.
Khun Kawrio from the Kayan New Generation Youth said: “People were not queuing up in the line. There weren’t exact times for casting votes. In some polling stations, ethnic Bamar people couldn’t vote for the Ethnic Affairs Minister. Some became impatient after waiting for a long time and left.” Only tenacious voters succeeded in casting ballots he said.
Ko Byar Reh from Dana Shae Saung Myanmar said many people didn’t know how to vote properly.
“The public didn’t know anything and they are illiterate so the NLD won in many areas.”
Kantarawaddy Youth’s chairman Ko Hay Balu, also known as Ko Tu Tu, said when his group provided public training before the election they found many naïve about the running parties and worried that they wouldn’t be able to articulate who to vote for. In the end they made the right choices and results clearly show they are hungry for change.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
