At a time when the anti-coup and boycott movements are in full swing in Karen state with full support from the influential Karen National Union, many CSO organizations were upset and angry that three Karen parties which met with the military- appointed UEC.

15 Karen CSOs protested against the Karen People’s Party (KPP), the Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP) and the Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party (PSDP) as three parties attended the meeting.

Naw Pithalaw, an advisor of Karen Social Organization “Tarkapaw” based in Dawei Township told the KIC: “Our people don’t recognize it as a government and make relation with it after the army seized the country’s power on February 1st. We will neither make cooperate with three Karen parties which met the UEC in the future nor support them.”

.The Union Election Commission (UEC) formed by the State Administration Council (SAC) said the general elections would be held after a one-year state of emergency. The meeting between the new UEC and political parties was held at the UEC office in Nay Pyi Taw on February 26th.

Saw Myat Htut Win, Vice-Chair of the Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP) who attended the meeting said: “The party assigned a duty to me to attend the meeting in order to know the situation. There is nothing special. The new UEC said the new election would be held and sought legal suggestions from the parties.”

The army formed the new UEC after seizing the country’s power on February 1st. This is the first meeting between the political parties since its inception. A total of 53 parties attended the meeting with the newly-formed Union Election Commission (UEC). On February 26th, they are facing widespread criticism of the Karen people.