Sai Kaung Saing — Two polling stations in two village tracts in northern Shan State’s Mantong Township will be closed on election day due to what officials claim are security reasons. The polling stations are located in the Palaung Self-Administered Area. The closure was confirmed by the Northern Shan Election Commission’s officer U Hnit San Oo.
In an announcement dated October 27th, the Lashio Commission announced that the election will not be held in Sikekhaung and Haungkan village tracts due to frequent battles between the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Burma army.
“The polling stations were closed due to a lack of security for staff who will be assigned to that area. As the local residents won’t be able to vote, it’s a waste of ballots for the parties that are running [in the area],” the official explained.
The Ta’ang (Palaung) Nationalities Party (TNP) and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) are running for seats in the Upper House, Lower House, and State Parliament Constituencies 1 and 2 while the Lisu National Development Party (LSDP) is only contesting a seat in the State Parliament Constituency 1. The candidates from both the TNP and USDP are ethnic Ta’ang.
According to the latest voter list, there are 1.3 million eligible voters in northern Shan State and the military will cooperate with the Myanmar Police Force to guard 567 polling stations there, says U Hnit San Oo.
The TNLA’s information officer Tar Aik Kyaw says clashes remain ongoing but that the decision to close the polling stations was made by the government. “The battles are happening everywhere. It’s not happening only in this area. The TNLA has not disturbed or prevented anyone from opening the polling stations. The commission isn’t opening them based on their own views,” he said.
Since the start of September, CDMA and GSM phone lines have been down in Mantong town so local residents and candidates have been facing difficulties.
“There have been frequent battles between the government army and the Ta’ang army in this area so the local residents are worried about not being able to vote. Also, the phone lines have been down for over a month now so we don’t know what is happening in other villages,” said a Mantong resident.
Since the beginning of the year there have been over 300 battles between government troops and the TNLA and most of the battles have taken place in Mantong, Kutkai, Kyaukme, and Namhkam townships. Frequent battles have also taken place in Namhsan, Muse, Namtu, Mongmit, Lashio, Theinni, and Mogok townships. Many local residents worry that clashes will break out on election day.
