San Maung Than — The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has been visiting people’s homes under the guise of voter education activities and forcing voters to sign a pledge that they will vote for the party, according to the Arakan National Party (ANP) who received reports from villagers via its office in Minbya Township.
“According to reports we have received from the residents of Zeepingyi Village, the USDP has been forcing people to sign a pledge to vote USDP while pretending to explain the voting process,” the ANP’s Minbya Township information officer U Thein Zan told Narinjara News.
An argument arose between the USDP members and the villagers due to this campaign strategy.
“Our village is tranquil but they forced us to sign the pledge. They also told us to vote for them. They have been going from one house to another to do this. In some houses, the wives signed while their husbands were away. Arguments arose between married couples after the husbands found out about what their wives had done,” said a villager.
“As far as I know, they came to people’s houses and asked them to stamp the ballots and took down the names. The villagers didn’t know exact details about what the USDP was asking people to do, so they came to see me and told me about these incidents. We have reported this to the township and district commissions,” said the chief abbot of Kaythalar Village. The chief abbot’s statement contradicts the ANP’s allegations that the USDP was forcing people to sign a pledge that they would vote USDP on election day.
