Certain Shan people, who are considering contesting in the forthcoming 2010 general elections, on the invitation of the Burmese military junta, must ensure that they obtain prior consent of the people from their respective constituencies, an armed opposition group leader recently told SHAN.
 
He was responding to SHAN’s query: “Some prominent Shan people, who have been approached by junta officials to contest elections for the yet-to-be-formed party’s banner, have expressed concern. If they do not accept the invitation, they would run the risk of being blacklisted by the junta and if they do, they would run another kind of risk – ostracism by their own Shan community, and worse, termination by armed movements such as yours. What do you suggest they do?”
 
“We will not bother anyone whom the people are willing to vouch for,” he promised. “But no responsibility shall be taken for anyone, who fails to seek the people’s approval first. They have only themselves to blame, for whatever happens to them,” he said.
 
Midway through 2009, there has been no indication of an impending announcement on the election law by the country’s military rulers. However, since the official go-ahead was given to the junta-drafted constitution in May 2008, government officials, the government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) officials and those from the National Unity Party (NUP) that was formed by the military junta in 1988, have already been busy canvassing for popular support.
 
Shan, the biggest state in the Union, has several armed groups. Those that enjoy ceasefire agreements with Rangoon, include United Wa State Army (UWSA), and Shan State Army “North” to name a few. Non-ceasefire groups, include Shan State Army (SSA) “South”, PaO National Liberation Organization (PNLO) and Wa National Organization (WNO).