There was no level-playing field for ethnic parties in Shan State in the recent election with their campaigning crippled by Covid-19 restrictions according to Daw Nam Wah Nu, Director of the 1000 Islands Foundation, and an election monitoring group in southern Shan State.

She claimed “The COVID-related restrictions were mostly enforced against the smaller ethnic parties. The ban on mass gatherings of more than 20 or 30 persons is applied only to small parties. It is found that there were gatherings of thousands of people from the ruling party and other big opposition parties.”

“While small ethnic parties could distribute masks only during the election campaign period, it is found that the ruling party provided the public with rations” she added.

With the official permission of the Union Election Commission (UEC), the foundation monitored the pre-election, the Election Day and the post-election in cooperation with eight CSOs in 13 townships of the southern Shan State. The coverage townships are Taunggyi, Hsisaing, Hopone, Pinlaung, Kalaw, Yatsauk, Pindaya, Ywangan, Namhsam, Moehnae, Linkhae, Kyaetheee and Kwanhein. The foundation will send its findings to the Shan State Election Sub-Commission Office in the last week of December.

The One Thousand Islands Foundation warns that the lack of a level playing field could lead to very negative consequences, if ethnic aspirations are frustrated by the perception that the election was far from free and fair in the ethnic states. Most ethnic complaints have been dismissed by the UEC without proper investigation.

Daw Nam Wah concluded that “These acts may lead to a new one - party system, and indirectly encourage the armed struggles. In addition, it may bar ethnic parties from entering into the parliament and amount to instigating them to turn to armed culture and secession. “

The report also found that some parties were banned from entering areas controlled by militia groups and EAOs in southern Shan State, citing the pretext of COVID-19. In some areas, the parties faced restrictions by the Tatmadaw.