To increase their respective chances at the 2015 elections three Karen political parties have agreed to work together to avoid unnecessary competition between them at the polls.
The three Karen political parties, the Karen State Democracy and Development Party (KSDDP), the Karen Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kayin People’s Party (KPP) formalized its alliance in Hpa-an on 22nd November 2014.
“We (the three parties) signed the agreement to cooperate with each other in the hope that our representatives will not run for the same constituency or seats in the 2015 Election. In addition, we will help each other prepare for the election,” KDP president Saw Ye Win Naing told Karen News.
The Phalon-Sawow Democratic Party (PSDP) female president, Naw Yuzana War, told Karen News that its party’s representatives also attended the same conference, but the PSDP did not agree on some of the parties’ policies so decline to join the alliance.
“It is difficult to join an alliance with the other parties when their policies do not align with our own. We have a plan to make alliances with Karen political parties, but this will happen after 2015. What I want to tell the people is that for the 2015 election, people must choose and vote for their Karen delegate wisely,” said Naw Yuzana War.
A total of nine representatives from four Karen political parties attended the conference. Among them were PSDP female president Naw Yuzana War, KPP Hpa-an representative Saw Shimuel, KSDDP Secretary Saw Than Mya and KDP president Saw Ye Win Naing.
The KSDDP Secretary, Saw Than Mya, who was involved in forming the alliance, said. “Most Karen people have said that because there are many Karen political parties, an alliance is needed for the parties to work together. That is why we decided to do it. We will cooperate with each other so that our representatives will not run for the same constituency or seats, in order to fill all vacant seats for Karen State.”
The Karen political parties, PSDP, KDP, KSDDP and KPP, first discussed the possibility of an alliance in a meeting held on 15th September 2013 at Kwe Ka Baw Garden in Hpa-an and they agreed in principle to form the alliance. In the current alliance, the PSDP party did not join as they said they have different policies.
