The Union Election Commission (UEC) has censored the Tai-Leng-Leng (Shan-ni) Nationalities Development Party’s policies included in the election address to be broadcast through the State-owned media, said U Sai Htay Aung, Chair of the Tai-Leng (Shan-ni) Nationalities Development Party.

The UEC censored around half of the election address which included the weak points of the 1947 Constitution, youth development and dictatorship.

Censorship of ethnic parties and their policies prior to broadcasting has become a common complaint from at least 4 different ethnic states.

“The party has to submit its policies and objectives to the UEC before the registration of the party. Now the party placed these same policies and objectives in the election address.” U Sai Htay Aung told BNI. ” It is very surprising that the UEC censored these policies and objectives. The UEC has directed the parties not to put the policies that harm the country and the Tatmadaw. Our address did not cover the military. I don’t know why the UEC censored it.”

US based Human Rights Watch has just issued a report on the Myanmar election that has condemned this kind of censorship by the state authorities as a violation of freedom of expression that underpins a free and fair election.

 Due to the censorship of the party’s policies, the party will no longer be involved in the programs of the State-owned media and TV.

A total of 40 candidates from the party will run for the seats—28 constituencies in Kachin State, nine in Sagaing Region, one for Shan Ethnic Affairs Minister in Kachin State, one for Bamar Ethnic Affairs Minister in Kachin State and one for Shan Ethnic Affairs Minister in Sagaing Region.

The party’s main rivals are the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).