A new Kachin ethnic political party backed by major Kachin organizations yesterday mobilized women and students in its party office in Kachin State’s capital Myitkyina with the elections in mind, said participants.
About 80 Kachin women and university students, mostly from schools in Myitkyina listened to the speech in the Kachin State Progressive Party office in Myothit quarter in the capital from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. local time. All the participants were invited by name, a student participant told Kachin News Group today.
Some Kachin students from Myitkyina University and members of the Kachin Literature and Culture also participated.
This is the second meeting with the Kachin women and the first with university students at the KSPP office. Earlier, the KSPP met only Kachin women in the office. This time it was a mixed group.
The party leader and former Vice-president No. 2 of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) Dr. Manam Tu Ja and two other leaders organized the women and students for votes in the forthcoming elections this year, according to students attendees.
A student participant from Myitkyina University told KNG, Dr. Tu Ja said in his campaign speech that the country’s military regime is planning to hold elections in the middle of this year--- between August and September.
The former second KIO Vice-president also told participants that they can take part in the party’s election campaigns freely without worrying about security because the party was formed in accordance with the 2008 constitution and is authorized to campaign by the ruling junta.
As preliminary preparation for the polls the KSPP has opened 48 branch offices around Kachin State including over 10 branch offices alone in Myitkyina district, according to the party leader Dr. Tu Ja.
The KSPP was founded early last year with the backing of three main Kachin groups--- KIO, former New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) and Kachin Nationals Consultative Assembly for contesting the elections as the main Kachin political party.
The party is not official now but it will be registered it as soon as the junta announces the electoral laws, said party leaders.
Meanwhile, political and military tension between the KIO and the Burmese junta is gradually increasing following the failure of negotiation on transforming the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the armed-wing of KIO to the junta-controlled Border Guard Forces despite 10 meetings.
The junta is seeking an appropriate time for the announcement of the date of the election, according to KIO sources.
