Govt Withdraws 39 Polling Stations in Kachin State

By THE IRRAWADDY Friday, March 16, 2012... 

More than 50,000 people are set to lose their by-election vote after 39 out of 110 polling stations in Phakant region of Kachin State are withdrawn due to security concerns.

An election official prepares ballots for voters at a polling station for the 2010 General Election. (Photo: Reuters) 

Bauk Ja, an ethnic Kachin election candidate representing National Democratic Force (NDF) in the April 1 ballot, said that the Union Election Commission made the decision because of renewed fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and government troops.

All 110 polling stations were operational in the region during the 2010 General Elections which were held during a 17-year ceasefire between the government and KIA.

Three candidates—representing the National League for Democracy (NLD), NDF and Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDA)—will be contesting one seat in the Burmese Parliament's Lower House for Phakant constituency.

“More than 10 villages will not have the chance to vote. The main reason is the matter of security,” said Bauk Ja.

There are now only 95,137 eligible voters in Phakant region, all of whom must visit one of the remaining 71 polling stations in order to cast their ballot.

This compares with around 150,000 eligible voters in the same region in 2010, meaning the decision to withdraw 39 polling stations has rid more than 50,000 people of their right to participate in the democratic process, said Bauk Ja.

The prominent Kachin activist also stood as an NDF candidate for Hpakant constituency in the 2010 General Elections.

Next month's by-elections will be held in the three Kachin State townships of Bhamo, Mogaung and Phakant. Some villages involved are located in areas controlled by the KIA.
Fighting between the Burmese government and KIA broke out in June 2011, causing more than 60,000 Kachin civilians, including many women and children, to flee their homes and become refugees near the Chinese border.

No ceasefire agreement has been reached between the two adversaries despite representatives from Naypyidaw's peace negotiation team and leaders of the KIA’s political wing, the Kachin Independence Organization, meeting several times for talks.

In fact, hostilities appear to be heating up once again with resumed fighting reported on Monday—just after the latest round of negotiations in the Chinese border town of Ruili.

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