Local junta officials in Shan State South and members of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) are at loggerheads over alleged official disturbance and intimidation of local residents, according to local sources.

On 4 October, Military Affairs Security (MAS) authorities in Panglong sub-township, Loilem Township, were said to have questioned villagers who had attended an SNDP campaign event. Following the interrogation, villagers in the areas are said to be frightened and worried about their well-being, according to a local resident.

“The SNDP came to campaign on 3 October. The authorities later questioned people going from house to house,” the villager said.

Among those people who were interrogated were Ko Aung and Ko Phoe (not their real names.)

“They asked for our personal information, our birthplace and about our jobs,” said one. “It frightened us and scared us away from taking part in the campaigns.”

The SNDP has been conducting campaigns in Shan State South since 25 September. “We went to campaign in rural areas in the day time and in the towns at night,” said one of the party campaigners.   

Meanwhile, a patron of the party in Panglong Sai Thein Oo (59) died on 1 October.

“His last words surprisingly were about the SNDP. He encouraged his relatives and the party, regretting that he wouldn’t be able to do it,” he said.

A SNDP member said their members have informed the local authorities including MAS officials that if disturbances continued, the party would lodge a complaint with the Union Election Commission.

“MAS officials replied that they were only acting on orders from higher authorities,” a member quoted one of the MAS officials as saying.

So far the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is the SNDP’s main opponent in the constituency.

The SNDP has recently forged an alliance with five other parties, the National Democratic Front (NDF), the Rakhine National Development Party, the Chin National Party, the Union Democratic Party (UDP) and the League for Democracy and Peace to boost the image of their candidates.