For the Burmese military junta, its power, money, guns and laws are simply not enough;....
For the Burmese military junta, its power, money, guns and laws are simply not enough; it is still using every advantage it can to win the ensuing elections, according to sources on the Sino-Burma border.
The latest - the local Election Commission in Muse Township is to set up more polling stations in the sparsely populated Constituency #2 than in the densely populated Constituency #1, opposite China’s Ruili.
The election manual of the Election Commission, says there will be one polling station for every 300 voters.
“The distribution of polling stations is however in favour of the lion party (junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party) candidates,” a local source monitoring the elections said
She gave the following examples:
|
Constituency |
Name |
estimated population |
#of polling stations |
|
1 |
Southern Quarter |
5,000 |
1 |
|
1 |
Northern Quarter |
8,000 |
2 |
|
1 |
Manhio |
6,000 |
3 |
|
2 |
Mongkoe |
4,000 |
7 |
“I doubt if there will still be thousands of people still waiting to cast their votes after the polling station closes at 16:00,” said the source.
Constituency #2 is under the control of local militia heads, backed by the ruling military junta, like Myint Lwin aka Wang Guoda Ti Khun Myat and Kiangmai, who are contesting as candidates on USDP tickets.
The electoral roll is also not without blemish. “Our household has seven members, who are over 18,” complained a resident of Muse’s Southern Quarter. “But only one was listed. When I told our neighbours, they told me they are having the same problem.”
The source said it was one way to deprive the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) candidates of sufficient votes to win, and increase the chances of the USDP candidates.
