Veteran Shan politician Shwe Ohn, 88, the co-founder of the Union Democratic Party (UDP) passed away with liver cancer yesterday (20 August) at around 18:15 at his home in Rangoon’s San Chaung township, according to Shan residents in Rangoon.

The funeral service will be on Sunday 22 August at 15:00(Burmese standard time), according to a Shan youth in Rangoon.

Shwe Ohn had been suffering from liver cancer since April after he returned from applying for registration to the Union Election Commission in Naypyitaw.

“His condition was worsened after campaigning in his native town, Yawnghwe of Shan State South, on 19 June,” said a youth who has close relation with the family.

Shwe Ohn was born on 14 March 1923 in Shan State South’s Yawnghwe. As a young politician, he had participated in the 1947 Panglong Conference. He was a Chairman of the Shan State National Races League for Democracy (SSNRLD), one of the parties that contested the 1990 elections.

In early this year, he formed the Union Democratic Alliance Organization (UDAO) renamed UDP in order to contest the junta planned elections. He believed that if there are no opposition parties, the military junta’s candidates will win by acclamation. The UDP applied for registration to the Union Election Commission on 8 April 2010 and was granted approval to contest in the elections on 28 May.

“Something is better than nothing,” Shwe Ohn was reported to have said.

On the other hand, he was said to have been also working on his biography and aimed to publish very soon. But the book has not been finished yet, the source said.