Ethnic opponents of Burma's largest political party, the Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP).....
Ethnic opponents of Burma's largest political party, the Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) have accused it of harassment.
A source close to the Karenni State based National Unity Development Party (NUDP) alleged that the local USDP leaders have been forcing the closure of business ventures of NUDP members.
USDP, by wielding its proximity to the military regime, has closed down mining operations and logging concessions of the NUDP chairman, Oo Seh Reh Lapay.
A NUDP member said Oo Seh Reh Lapay’s family is upset that their business ventures have been shut down.
Reacting to the USDP’s intimidation the NUDP wrote a letter of complaint to the Electoral Commission, but has not yet received a response.
It is not the first time that the USDP has been accused by ethnic parties of using their considerable political power and close connection with the junta to intimidate smaller parties. Parties in Shan State and Karen State have also alleged that the USDP has closed down business ventures and printing shops connected to the smaller locally based parties and made substantial campaign enticements to village heads.
The USDP's national leader, Thein Sein, is currently the regime's Prime Minister and was until recently a senior military officer. The USDP was formerly known as USDA, and regarded as the regime's civilian proxy. The USDA is no stranger to political controversy, being regularly used by the regime to harass its political opponents, students and monks.
In 2008 the New York based Human Rights Watch said the USDA used violence against Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy supporters and was used in the violent crackdown against protesting monks in 2007.
Most people interviewed for this story were afraid to be identified because of repercussions from the USDP.
A source close to the NUDP said USDP members warned the local party that it would be better if they did not contest the election. The USDP warned ethnic leaders that they 'would make them pay' as they 'did not want any political opposition in Karenni State'.
