Thousands of Shan-ni (Red Shan) ethnics in Pinlebu Township in Sagaing Region are in a position to lose their voting rights to choose the ethnic affairs minister post.
According to the voters list issued by the Township Election Sub-Commission, there are 822 eligible voters for Shan Ethnic Affairs Minister. Yet the township has a population of more than 4,000 Shan-ni ethnics and approximately 3,000 people are eligible voters.
The discrepancies in voter lists arise as the majority of Shan-ni ethnics are described as ethnic Bamar (the Burmese ethnic marjority) on their national registration cards(NRC) but according to the National Census in 2014 they were record as Shan-Ni, one of 133 ethnic groups in Myanmar.
Ko Sai Zaw Zaw, a Shan from Tonemon village in Pinlebu Township told BNI “The compilation of voter list is based on the national registration cards (NRC), and I am registered as Bamar on the card. That’s why I have no chance to cast my vote (for Shan ethnic affairs minister post). I will lose my voting rights,”
Daw Nwe Nwe Phyu an official from Pinlebu Township Election Sub-Commission said: “The compilation of voters’ lists for 2020 General Elections is based on census and national registration cards. The sub-commission approves the facts included in the NRC, when there are discrepancies between the census and the NRC. The facts included in the NRC is final. We are not doing it intentionally to reduce the numbers.“
The township election commission is working to make sure that the voters (Shan/Bamar) can cast their votes for Shan ethnic affairs minister post in the 2020 General Elections and the voters (Chin/Bamar) for Chin ethnic affairs minister post, she added.
Nan Hmway Hmway Khin, the sitting Shan Ethnic Affairs Minister wrote a post on her facebook: “I think the chances of casting their votes for Shan Ethnic Affairs Minister in the 2020 General Elections when compared with the 2015 General Elections are pretty low. In a meeting with the officials, they said the compilation of Shan population is based on the 2014 Nationwide Census.
As the collection of voter lists was based on the household list in the 2015 Election, around 3,000 Shan-ni people from Pinlebu Township cast their votes for Shan ethnic affairs minister post.
As the compilation is now based on the NRC cards for the 2020 General Elections, the number of voters has substantially declined. The current Shan Ethnic Affairs Minister said “I have reported it to the regional election sub-commission in order that the ethnics may not lose their rights and can vote the candidates for Shan Ethnic Affairs Minister in the election.”
In the 2015 General Elections, Tai-Leng (Shan-ni) Nationalities Development Party secured a seat for Shan ethnic affairs minister in Sagaing Region.
