Dr. Tu Ja, a retired vice-chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) registered the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP) with the Union election commission in Naypyidaw last week.
After returning to his home in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, Tu Ja told Kachin News Group, “The party application was accepted properly by the commission. Now we are awaiting what kind of questions are raised by the commission. The results will be known in the middle of this month.”
The new party was formed by 17 members who are not affiliated with any armed group or organization, in accordance with election commission principles, he said.
Tu Ja believes the commission will approve his party this time.
Six senior officers including Tu Ja resigned from the KIO after contesting the 2010 elections as the Kachin State Progressive Party (KSPP). The party was barred from running by election commission after successful statewide campaigns.
The commission didn’t approve the KSPP because the KIO rejected the call to transform into a Burma army-controlled border guard force.
This time, however, there is no reason to reject the party registration as the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP) was formed with urban citizens in government-controlled areas, Tu Ja said.
The KSDP plans to participate in the 2015 elections as a representative party for all of Kachin state, he said. The election campaign will be launched after approval by the election commission
