Thuta Linn, BNI Election Newsroom — A reporter from the BNI Election Newsroom interviewed U Dashi La Seng, who is contesting a seat in Kachin State’s Hpakant constituency No 2 for the Kachin State Parliament.
Q: What aims do the NLD and you have in running in the election in Hpakant area and what have you prepared?
A: The league has established campaign teams for its candidates during the campaign. There are some challenges.
We already have a campaign team that was organized by the state. There’s another team that is recognized by the central [headquarters]. The candidates face some difficulties in consulting with these two teams so I feel a little frustrated with the preparation.
What I mean to say is that there are weaknesses in the preparation due to differences in views between the campaign teams.
The campaign teams are weak on preparation including when they need to do a field trip to the areas where the campaign rallies are to be held by the candidates.
The campaign is okay because it is done in respective areas.
Q: What kind of challenges do you face in campaigning in the villages and village tracts that are under State Parliament Constituency No 2?
A: The Constituency No 2 covers five wards with towns and three [village] tracts. The five wards with towns are Aye Mya Tharyar, Ma Shi Ka Htaung, Myoma, Hnget Pyaw Taw, and Maw One. The three village tracts are Nant Ma Pit, Seikmu, and Haung Par.
Some village tracts have 20 villages each. Among them, Haung Par village tract is the most difficult place to travel. We need to travel through the mountains. There are difficulties with transportation.
Each village in Haung Par village tract has around 2,000 voters, but it’s difficult to travel to this area by car.
Q: How many eligible voters are there in Hpakant State Parliament Constituency No 2?
A: We can’t confirm the voter list at the moment. According to statistics, there are around 20,000 voters.
Q: When holding campaign rallies, what issues do you focus on in your campaign? How do you rally for your state on the NLD's platform and win the election?
A: When I do campaigning, I rally to the public based on four issues from the NLD’s election declaration. I persuade them to go to the polling booths and cast their votes without fear on the Election Day on November 8th.
I haven’t made any promises to the voters as a candidate. We will carry out the issues from the election declaration if the NLD wins all [seats] in the election and is able to form a government.
Q: I have found that ethnic parties are running in the Hpakant constituency. As it is an ethnic area, can you say that ethnic candidates have more chance of winning [the election]? What is the potential winning rate for the NLD candidates?
A: We only see the USDP as our main competitor. As both the USDP and the NLD are the main big parties, our hope is on the realization of the people. There are many migrant workers in Hpakant area and I have found that many of them support the NLD. These people have applied with Form 3 (A) for their names to be included on the voter list.
On the other hand, the USDP has been helping the company owners to be included on the voter list. Based on the current situation, our expectation is above 60 percent [of the vote].
Q: How’s the situation with regards to the voters’ knowledge and understanding of the candidates and their interest in the election?
A: On the side of the voters, many of them know about the NLD candidates. This is because we have warmly helped the Hpakant residents with many of their difficulties so many of them know us.
Q: Lastly, skirmishes broke out between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burmese army in Hpakant on October 8th. Can these skirmishes affect the election? What has the party prepared in advance to prevent it?
A: We can’t do anything to prevent the war. This only depends on both armed groups. We worry a lot over the election.
We are worried because during the 2012 By-Election, I submitted my name as a candidate for the Lower House and prepared for it, but it was postponed within a short time on security grounds.
We can’t say such kind of incident won’t happen again. So, there have been some worries over this. It’s difficult to prevent it in advance. This depends on the respective armed groups. We can’t do anything except making an earnest request.
