Townships in Shan State are under orders to support the military's draft constitution in the referendum in May with threats to those who might say no with arrests, according to local sources.
 
At the end of March, Mongyai Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) Chairman U Nyunt Tin with the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), Army and policemen held meetings in three village tracts, Wanpung, Panghai and Wanpai.
 
"At the three meetings, the villagers were threatened by local authorities to support the draft constitution. If they [local authorities] find out people voting against the draft constitution they will arrest him/ her," said the source.
 
Every participant was forced to promise at the meetings that they would support the draft constitution.
 
Since March Area Commander Lieutenant Colonel Gyi Myint held several public meetings ordering civil servants and the local populace in Mongyai to support the draft constitution. Any civil servant found to be against the draft constitution would be fired, he said.
 
Since the beginning of this month, every village tract in Mongpiang Township in eastern Shan State has also been threatened by the junta.
 
"The local authorities said that they didn't want to see any vote against the constitution. All the votes must be in support of the draft constitution. The immigration officials will then change their temporary cards to permanent cards after the polling," the source added.
 
Junta's owned TV announced on April 9that the referendum would be held on May 10. Limited copies of the draft constitution have also been made available for public review on the same day.