Election commissions across Shan State South and North are in a rush to carry out advance voting in the outskirts of towns, claiming they are worried there may be disturbances by rebels and anti-elections groups on election day, according to local sources.

“They [local authorities] said they were worried about security because our areas are unstable and insecure,” a local resident in Kehsi township, Loilem district, Shan State South, said.

Advance voting is being carried out in Kehsi township starting today. These areas are where anti-Napyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) “South” is active, and clashes with the Burmese Army usually takes place.

“The Military Affairs Security (MAS) authorities told us that they were informed that rebels will bomb the polling stations on election day,” an elder from Mongnawng sub-township, Kehsi township, said.

Authorities in Kehsi have been conducting advance voting in 17 out of 24 planned polling booths. However, most voters reported that they were not allowed to mark the ballot papers by themselves. It was only government employees who did it for them.

Similarly, Mongnawng has 23 polling stations. But now 14 booths are on the advance voting list, according to a member of the Shan Nationalities and Democratic Party (SNDP) in the area.

“There may not be any one left to cast votes on the election day, looking at their lists. The USDP is likely to get all the votes. There will likely be only civil servants and military members who will cast votes on that day.”

The number of voters has come down in Mongnang, another town in Kehsi township. “There are actually about 3,000 voters in Mongnang but only 800 voters’ names were in the list. Similarly, there were 800 voters in Mangkhem and the authorities said there were only 500,” he said.

Apart from Southern Shan State, election commissions in Tangyan and Hsenwi in Northern Shan State have also been conducting similar advance voting until Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) members in Hsenwi lodged a complaint to the district election commission, according to SNDP Chiarman Sai Ai Pao.

“They are conducting not only advance voting, but also intimidating voters and villagers. It is difficult to say the elections will be free and fair if the EC still allows such activities,” Sai Ai Pao said.

The number of advance voters in Hsenwi so far is about 3,000 and at least over 200 voters from each village tract in Tangyan.

The SSA “South” that has opposed the elections, has so far been taking a back seat, probably due to a “suggestion” by China, according to a source on the Sino-Burma border.

It has a 200-strong Task Force 701 active in Namkham, opposite Dehong Autonomous Prefecture.