One of the reasons that the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) lost the 7 November elections, apart from the rigged polls, was the anti-election campaign by exiled Shan organizations and Shan armed resistance movements ...
“Most local villagers were unaware of the meaning of the election and its process. It became worse when they [exiled organizations] declared their opposition to the elections,” said a local resident, who attended the SNDP meeting held in Shan State North’s Namkham township, on 18 November. It was attended by over 300 participants.
The party members held a discussion over the 7 November election results at SNDP office, particularly about the “stuffed” advance votes.
They said they had won almost every seat in every constituency in the whole of Shan State, North, South and East with the votes cast on the day of the contest but they lost after advance votes were counted. Other dominant parties from other states and regions were also reported to have experienced the same problem.
Apart from the advance votes, the participants were bitter about the exiled communities’ anti-election activities.
Before the elections were held, exiled communities had conducted anti-election campaigns and produced and delivered VCDs, which urged people not to vote and to boycott the elections.
Likewise, the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), political wing of the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ released a statement on 26 May 2010 that it would not “support and recognize” the 2010 elections that was based on the 2008 constitution drawn up by Naypyitaw and it was also against new parties being set up to contest the elections.
“The consequence was less participation of the people and therefore less votes,” a party member said. “There would be more people’s support if the Shan army was behind the people and protected them. But instead it boycotted the polls. It was why even a small militia group like Panhsay Kyaw Myint could do whatever it wanted.”
According to party members, one of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate Kyaw Myint, leader of Panhsay militia unit in Namkham won the seat with the help of local authorities and election commissions.
In Kengtung township, the people were told in advance, “We are going to win whether you voted for us or not,” by USDP candidates. In Mongyang, the USDP woman candidate was told to go home and sleep it off after the vote count showed she had lost to the SNDP rival. “Just be reassured that whatever the figures are today (7 November), you have won your seat,” her USDP colleague was quoted saying. To no one’s surprise, she did win her seat.
