Gearing up for the elections in Burma less than a month away, the Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party hung a signboard outside its office in Pa-an, Karen State on 9 October, a candidate told KIC.

"We put up our party's signboard at 10:31am. It has the pictures of 18 of our candidates for Karen State. On the upper corner, there is the party logo. While below the logo, it reads ‘Let's vote for Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party’. We did not invite anybody for the event,” Nan Say Awar, a candidate for People's Parliament in Pa-an constituency 1, said.

The party signboard is made of wood and is 40 feet long and 10 feet wide. The PSDP put up the signboard in front of its office in Ward no.4, Htong Ai road, in Pa-an town, a candidate said.

Six candidates from Myawaddy, Than Taung Gyi, Kyeik Mayaw, and Kyar Inn Seik Gyi Township could not attend. However, 12 candidates and 30 others attended the half-an-hour event.

Before PSDP put up the signboard, it had to inform the local authorities. Although no regime officials attended a local police inspector came to take photographs, Nan Say Awar said.

"We informed the authorities. Only Sergeant Thar Htary from the police intelligence unit came and took photographs. We also took his picture," she said.

The PSDP has conducted election campaign and given voter education training in over 10 villages in Pa-an township since 27 September.