Five ethnic parties have issued a six-point joint-statement on 18 October, calling on the Union Election Commission (UEC) to review the constituencies excluded from holding the election slated for November 8, and uphold the principles of a free and fair election. Voters in over 35 townships have been disenfranchised by the UEC exclusion order.

This is the strongest challenge so far to the impartiality of the UEC by major ethnic parties who stated: “We question the UEC’s transparency, impartiality, uprightness and dignity, as well as the freedom and fairness of the 2020 General Election.”

The statement came from the Kachin State People’s Party, Kayah State Democratic Party, the Karen National Democratic Party, the Chin National League for Democracy and the Mon Unity Party.

Almost every political observer is aware that the UEC ruling is a great setback for ethnic parties which are strongly challenging the ruling NLD. In many ethnic constituencies, NLD is worried about losing seats in the six ethnic states including Rakhine State.

On behalf of their five ethnic regions the joint declaration reads: “The being free and fair is the most important characteristic of the election.”

The people in the skipped constituencies will lose their voting rights. The excluded constituencies are: 192 village-tracts in 11 townships of Kachin State, 53 village-tracts in six townships of Karen State, one village-tract in one township of Mon State, nine townships and 15 wards and 137 village-tracts in four other townships of Arakan State, six townships and eight wards and 133 village-tracts in other 17 townships in Shan State, 42 village-tracts in two townships of Bago Region.

The UEC’s statement is viewed as unfair for local ethnic voters at a time when around 20 days are left before Election Day.

In the 2015 election around 4 million citizens were not able to vote, a figure based on failure to include many ethnic voters and about 3 million Burmese migrant workers overseas.    

The UEC’s statement may force the ethnics in the excluded areas to choose extra-parliamentary political actions. There is an urgent need for the extension of political space, by fostering the equal rights of every citizen and the participation of every citizen in parliamentary politics, the statement says.

The ethnic parties urged the UEC to review and amend its statement in order that ethnics may enjoy fairness, equality, electoral rights and voting rights.

There is a widespread criticism that the number of excluded constituencies is higher than seven townships and 453 village-tracts excluded in the 2015 General Election. The UEC is facing strong criticism from ethnic parties.