No response on the complaint of threat during election campaign

There was still no response from District Election Commission on the complaint of Ta’ang Naional Party on threating of RCSS/SSA by sending a letter not to allow election campaign in three villages in southern Shang State.

On September 23, Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) sent a letter of threat to heads of three villages, namely MaukLian, Loiroi, Kong Pawng, in Pan Kaetu village tract warning the villages would be charged one million kyats fine if they allow Ta’ang National Party to do election campaigns in their villages.

Ta’ang National Party’s election candidate Mai Namharn said, “When we got to these villages on 26^th, head of the village showed us that letter. In the letter, it was mentioned that if the villages let election campaign in their villages, they would be charged Kyat 1 million. So, the villagers didn’t allow us to do our campaign. We didn’t do also.”

On September 26, Ta’ang Party sent copies of complaint letter to Kholam sub-township election commission office, RCSS/SSA liaison office, Mong Kai negotiation committee, Security and Border Affairs Ministry, Commander of the Central Military Command (Kholam) and Ministry of Shan State Government (Taunggyi).

“There was no action in relation with the complaint. We lost our chances as we could not do election campaigns in our own Ta’ang villages. Another point is that we are ethnic brothers and there should not be jealousy and dispute between us. Any ethnic candidate who gets a seat in parliament, he or she will benefit to our townships. So, we would like to request not to do blockages or restriction on our campaign”, he contined.

Ta’ang Party Signboards were frequently destroyed during election period of 2020 elections and some candidates were restricted and threatened.