The UEC- elections commission set up by the military after the coup, has already annulled the internationally- accepted results of November 2020. The Military high command has alleged fraud against the previous UEC but no evidence has ever been presented.

Now the electoral arm of the military junta has called together all political parties to discuss preparations for a new election.

Most ethnic political parties have refused their invitations to cooperate with the new body on the grounds they consider this new UEC has no legal standing. However, the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) has triggered outrage by attending the UEC meeting.

Shan organizations issued a joint statement on February 28th saying that “the SNDP’s decision to collaborate with the Union Election Commission (UEC) formed by the army’s State Administration Council is an insult to Shan ethnic people and the public, at a time when the people are staging the nationwide strikes against the military dictatorship and the civil servants are conducting the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM).”

The SNDP won only one seat in both the 2015 and 2020 General Elections. They added “The SNDP’s presence in the meeting does not represent Shan people. We strongly condemn the SNDP’s action.”

The joint statement is issued by the Shan Ethnics Universities Literature and Culture Associations in Panglong, Mandalay, Mohnyin, Taunggyi and Kengtung, Myanmar Shan Youth Network, Shan youth organization, Shan Ethnics Association (Thailand) and Shan Medical Family.