Karenni voters are being asked for money for the election fund by the Loikaw Peace and Development Council Chairman after village....
Karenni voters are being asked for money for the election fund by the Loikaw Peace and Development Council Chairman after village chiefs and their assistants were summoned to the township office in Loikaw capital of Karenni state in early September, Karenni sources said.
Each family from Nwalaboe, a relocated village has to pay 500 Kyat to the Burmese authorities for the government's election funds.
A Loikaw resident said, "We have to buy ballot papers with our own money even though we don't want to vote and the election is more than a month away." He added "It is not hard to pay 500 Kyat, but we are dissatisfied because we are being forced”.
The USDP campaigned in the Deemawso Township region and took money from Taysoleh and Hsobawteh villages as party membership fees amounting to Kyat 1000 to 2000 Kyat per person, local sources said.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Burma’s former capital Rangoon has told departmental heads to persuade municipal staff to cast their votes in favour of the main junta-backed party, the USDP in the polls on November 7, employees said.
Karenni sources said that Karenni voters do not know about the candidates who are representing the party, the election process, the background of the party and its standing.
"They are afraid because they are aware that a vote for the USDP is a vote for the regime. They will have to vote for the junta even if they don't support it. If they had a choice, no one would vote for the junta's proxy party," said a Karenni youth from Loikaw.
Villagers are constantly being harassed by not only extortion of funds and fines by the authorities, but also frequent forced labour for the military.
There are 11 villages located in Nwalaboe village tract with over 800 households.
The USDP has nominated a total of over 1,100 candidates to contest seats in the People’s Assembly, the National Assembly and in the States and Regions Assemblies in the forthcoming election, making it the largest party. With 975 registered candidates, the National Unity Party (NUP) is the second largest.
