The Shan National Democratic Party (SNDP) members in Shan State East’s Mongton township, opposite Thailand’s Chiangmai, are confident of garnering a majority of votes in the areas although the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is also running neck and neck, according to local sources.

“Most of our members including executive members are confident to win at least 60 per cent of votes from Mongton,” according to a local SNDP member. “For me, I am 80 per cent sure we will win the most votes.”

Locals say that the two parties are currently running neck and neck. The USDP is expecting to get support from Lahu voters most of whom are members of the junta-backed local militia units and the SNDP is reported to have gained support from the Shans and non-Shans such as ethnic Chinese and Wa residents.

“The Lahu National Development Party (LNDP) candidacy has caused confusion in the township as the USDP candidate here is also a Lahu,” said a SNDP member who asked not to be named.

Burma’s ethnic Lahu National Democratic Party (LNDP) will reportedly contest in six townships across Shan State: Tangyan Township in the North and Mongton, Mongpiang, Monghsat, Mongphyak and Tachilek townships in the east.

“People don’t look so frightened now after the White Tiger (popular name for the SNDP) chairman came to campaign and explained about the election process,” an election watcher from Pongpakhem sub-township, Mongton township said.

“Earlier, people were afraid of USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association, mother organization of USDP)’s pressure and threats such as those who do not vote for the party would be sent to jail.”

On 17 September, SNDP chairman Sai Ai Pao and his vice chairman Sai Hsawng Si were said to have taken pains to explain about the electoral process to the people after hearing most of them were afraid to get involved and participate in the elections, according to a SNDP member from Mongton.

“Yet most people in Mongton were still afraid to welcome them because they thought that the USDP members were watching them,” he said. “The local authorities however did not disturb them during the campaign, but they later came to ask what the party had told the villagers.”

The SNDP opened its branch office in Mongton Township on 18 September. It was mostly welcomed by elderly people from surrounding towns and village tracts such as Pongpakhem and Nakawngmu, said a source from Nakawngmu.

“Some Wa elders have also promised that they will encourage their people to vote for the party in the 7 November polls,” according to a local source.

According to Wa statistics, there are over 5,000 eligible voters in its controlled areas on the Thai-Burma border. However, most of the village tracts in Shan State that were declared “lacking conditions to hold free and fair elections” are in the Wa-Mongla areas -- altogether 252 village tracts with about 1,870 villages.

Regarding this announcement many human rights groups and international communities have stated that the election is a sham and is “exclusive”.

Nevertheless, Burmese Prime Minister warned citizens to protect the country’s image during the November elections and to prevent anyone from derailing the first polls in 20 years.