By Thuta Linn — Ethnic parties in Kachin state parties want Burma’s incoming government to hold by-election soon. “Even if the by-elections are held, we still won’t be able to form a government, but I want to know how much understanding and priority the new government will have with regards to ethnic parties,” said U Lwam Zaung, a lawyer who vied for a state parliament seat representing the Kachin Democratic Party (KDP).
His party failed to win any seats in the recent election but the KDP could win seats in the by -elections which be held to replace MPs who resign from office after they become cabinet ministers at the state and national level.
The Unity and Democracy Party Kachin State (UDPKS) chairman, U Khet Htain Nan, said it is difficult to say when the by-election will be held since the country is still in the preparation stage for the establishment of a new government. His party is allied with the military backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and won one seat in Kachin state in the election. Ethnic parties did not do well in Kachin state overall, winning just a handful of seats.
“For the Arakan and Shan people, their ethnic parties won a suitable number of seats, but it was very little for us in Kachin State,” U Khet Htain Nan said.
