Shan refugees from the war in five IDP camps and one refugee camp along the Thai-Myanmar border will all be denied voting rights in the election as they lack documents to prove their citizenship, said Sai Leng, an officer-in-charge of Koung Jor refugee camp and a member of Shan State Refugee Committee (Thai Border).

“Most Shan people at the IDP camps have no NRC cards. Shan people living in rural areas cannot speak Bamar language.” Sai Leng the OIC observed “It is very difficult for them to get NRC cards. That’s why most of Shan people have no NRC cards. How can they cast their votes without the NRC cards?”

“As a matter of fact, they want to cast their votes if they have a chance to cast their ballots without any documents. They have no Thai ID cards or Myanmar ID cards,” he added.

The five IDP camps on the Myanmar side are Kong Moong Murng, Loi Sarm Sip, Loi Lam, Loi Tai Laeng, Loi Kaw Wan while one refugee camp on the Thai side is Koung Jor.

U Sai Lek, General Secretary of the SNLD said: “Around 6,200 people in six IDP camps have lost their voting rights. The SNLD is working with some community-based organizations in Thailand to enable Myanmar migrant workers who have citizenship documents to cast their ballots. The SNLD will compile the lists of those who have official documents for their voting and then send the lists to the embassy. There are nearly 1,000 people,” he added.

Sai Leng has urged the Shan ethnic parties to make necessary preparations for the voting of Shan migrant workers and IDPs in the future elections, as many Shan migrant workers and IDPs in Thailand lose their voting rights.

The refugees at the Shan IDP camps on the Thai-Myanmar border were unable to cast their votes in the 2010 and 2015 General Elections. But Some Shan migrant workers in Thailand had voting rights, according to Sai Leng.