Local Burmese military junta officials in Chibway Township of Kachin State in Northern Burma have reportedly begun wearing T-shirts with stickers emblazoned with the words 'Yes Vote' to campaign among local villagers to support the ruling junta's draft constitution in the ensuing referendum.
Polling station officials, members of the junta-backed civil organization, Union Solidarity and Development Association and Swan Arrshin, peoples militia, fire fighters, and ward and village level authorities since the beginning of April have started wearing T-Shirts with 'Yes vote' stickers, local residents said.
'Let's go to polling stations', 'Let's cast Yes vote' with Tick mark, 'Let's approve Union of Burma State Constitution' were printed in green colour on white T-shirts, a local resident from Chibway told Mizzima.
Besides, the local said, several billboards that urge the people to vote 'Yes' have been put up in the villages of Chibway Township.
"Several billboards have been set up in every village and wards in this township, with the words 'Let's approve Union of Burma State Constitution' written in green on white," added the local.
In a bid to woo government employees to cast the 'Yes' vote, authorities have also begun selling rice at subsidized rates to employees, local residents said.
"The current market price of a bag of rice is Kyat. 40,000 (USD 36) in Chibway, Lawkhaung. But they [authorities] are selling the rice at 18,000 (USD 16) per bag to the government staff and its organizations such as USDA and fire brigade members," another local resident said.
As Chibway and Lawkhaung townships are located in remote areas along the Sino-Burmese border, the junta is counting on a cent percent chance of obtaining 'Yes' vote in the referendum from these townships.
"They might think they have better chance in getting 'Yes' votes in this hilly remote area and mobilising the local people. There are no organisations campaigning for 'No' votes there either. Even in Myitkyinar, the authorities are not doing like that," he said.
Despite the local authority's efforts in the campaign by producing T-Shirts, many people refuse to put on the T-shirts.
"All the people are not wearing these T shirts. Only some of them are wearing and most of them are just holding them in their hands. These people dare not wear these T shirts," added the local.
According to local residents, these townships are under the control of a ceasefire armed group namely - the New Democracy Army (Kachin) or known as NDA-K - led by Sakhong Tin Ying, and the region is known as Kachin Special Region No. 1.
A source close to the NDA-K said the regime thought they had a better chance in winning supporting votes in the area as it is controlled by the ceasefire group.
According to the voters list prepared by local authorities, there are 3,694 eligible voters in Panwah region, in the NDA-K controlled. And reportedly authorities have ordered local residents to cast supporting votes in the referendum.
Meanwhile, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), another ceasefire group in Kachin State, has said they will remain neutral on the forthcoming referendum, by neither casting 'Yes' nor 'No' vote.
