As votes are counted in the first election in Burma in 20 years, the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) seems to be leading in many constituencies in Kachin State because of advance votes, said the opposition parties.

In Hpakant township, the National Democratic Force (NDF) party candidate, Daw Bawk Ja, was leading when the polls closed. However, the USDP candidate, former Northern Regional commander Maj-Gen Ohn Myint, forged ahead when the advance votes were added.

The NDF was also leading the race for the seat in the People’s Parliament in Kamaing Township, Sam Chyoi village, but lost in the end, when the advance votes were counted, said polling station staff.

“They could only win with advance votes. There was no other way to win. All advance votes are marked in the same style, and it was clear the USDP set this up,” NDF candidate Bawk Ja said.

“They (the authorities) said the advance votes are from hospital patients and prisoners in jail. However, the votes are all marked in exactly the same way,” she said.

The NDF won significantly in the Jade Land area. In Gat Chyang Yang, the party got 531 votes, the USDP 38 votes, and the White Tiger party (SNDP) has five votes. In Dum Bang village the NDF got 737 votes, the USDP 139, and the SNDP 47, according to a local source.

However, before the election, the junta set up 17 ballot boxes for every jade mine company, which has about 1,000 miners, in Hpakant Jade Land. That yielded results in many constituencies.

At the Patamya and Yatana companies, the USDP won half of the votes. And, at the Myanmar Tagaung Company the owner himself voted for the USDP.

The NDF party organizer of Seng Tawng town, Hpakant township said, “Advance votes were cast for the USDP because Hpakant Ohn Myint mobilized all government department workers and all company employees so that all of them gave their vote to the lion.”

In Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, the National Unity Party (NUP) was worried about the advance votes for the USDP.

“Advance votes were collected in the whole country, and here the authorities took advance votes from colleges, nurse’s training schools and teacher training schools.  All votes were cast for Thein Zaw (the USDP candidate) so we are really worried about the advance votes,” said NUP candidate, Kaman Du Naw, who contested for a seat in the State Parliament.

Lawyer Myint Twin said, “In some polling stations the NDF was leading with the people’s vote, but the USDP defeated them in the end with advance votes.”

He said some advance votes were made by polling station officers and some votes didn’t have the proper seal of the commission chief. He said votes without the seal are almost all for the USDP, and most votes with the seal are for the NDF.

The lawyer said there is a provision in the election law allowing second place candidates to raise objections in a court, if there is evidence of election fraud.

Three candidates - Bawk Ja from NDF, Ohn Myit from USDP and Maung Maung Aye from SNDP contested for the People’s Parliament seat for Hpakant township.