By Salai Kyaw Moe — After massive floods hit Chin State in July and August, many local people were too preoccupied to check the voter list, local villagers say. Just one of the many obstacles that will make voting In the state difficult.
A large scale natural disaster caused the collapse and destruction of several roads, bridges and houses and destroyed hillside farms. Many of the affected communities are too busy trying to rebuild their lives to stop and check the voter list.
“They’re not interested in checking whether their names are included on the voter list or not. They only think about their survival. Life is very hard for those living in refugee camps. Also, the roads connecting villages have been destroyed so it’s difficult for people to travel. How can they check the voter list? How will they vote?” asked Salai Thwi Dein, a local resident of Hakha. He also added that he worries about those living in rural area where most people in the state live.
Language barriers have also prevented people in rural areas from checking the voter list because many people in Chin state do not speak Burmese fluently.
“Many of those in rural areas don’t know how to read Burmese so only a few of them came to see the voter list. Since the voter list is sorted alphabetically, they don’t know how their names have been spelled,” said Salai Nga Pi, a candidate for the Chin State parliament of Falam Township Consistency No 1.
Alphabetization of the voter list, multiple spelling errors of ethnic names and the absence of guards in some areas where the voter lists have been posted have caused difficulties for residents in the rural area, he explained.
“Now, parties have started cooperating so there has been an increase with more people checking the voter list than before. It’s easier to search for names in wards with many households when the list has been sorted alphabetically,” said U Ram Zaman, deputy head of Falam Township Election Sub-Commission.
Daw Shan Htan, a resident of Kanpetlet said they were a lot of problems. “There are more cases of names not being included on the list. Also, all the roads and bridges have been destroyed in the countryside. Political parties can’t hold their campaigns due to bad transportation,” she said.
The second series of voter lists was released in ward and village administration offices across the country for 13 days from September 14 to 27.
Translated by Thida Linn
