Kyaukpru, Arakan State: The Burmese military junta is providing long term training to selected supporters for the 2010 election in Kyaukpru district starting from May 15, said a village authority from Kyaukpru town.

The junta authorities are going to replace the village authority with their supporters from the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) and Swan Arr Shin members in Arakan, to win the election, he added.

In the first phase, the authorities started in the district of Kyaukpru and Sandaway, said a school teacher.

The authorities selected their supporters from USDA and Swan Arr Shin and will give them a month’s training about controlling people and how to woo people to support the ruling military junta in the 2010 polls, said a student who is working with USDA.

The authorities selected three persons from USDA or Swan Arr Shin from one village to replace in the village authorities, he added.The training will be from May 15 to June 15.

The authorities collected from villagers of Kyaukpru, kyat 500 and 30 kg rice per family for the trainee’s lodging and food, said a labourer who works in the market and faces problems paying.   

The authorities always pressurize local people to provide their needs, said a school teacher from Kyaukpru town.