According to some candidates, there were several cases of being vote-barring for Rakhine and Kayin ethnics across several townships in Yangon.
"Rakhine ethnics were not able to vote just because they were not part of the list. In the No.16 out of the 20 that they have in Hlaingtharyar, there were many Rakhine ethnics that were unable to vote for their race. It is happening across the whole Yangon Region," said the independent candidate Daw Htu May who is competing for the Rakhine Ethnic Affairs seat.
She said many Rakhine ethnics from Hlaingtharyar, Shwepyithar, North Oakkalapa, Mayangone, Tamwe, Dagon Seikkan, Thingangyun, South Oakkala and Pazundaung complaint to her about their woes.
She also say that Rakhine ethnics only being able to vote for 3 seats but not for their own racial affairs have been happening since advance voting for over-60 voters began on October 29.
Despite her alleged complaints to the Yangon's election commission on November 5 and 7, the issues were not resolved.
"Even though on the ground level such problems are happening in abundance, the regiona commision kept simply replying again and again that they can only vote if they are on the list. Whether or not the voters make the list is the responsibility of the commission. Not us, the citizens. If so then why can they vote for Pyitthu Hluttaw and Amyothar Hluttaw but not for Rakhine ethnic affairs? Is this racism? Is this a purposeful violation of citizenship rights to block votes? We are going to have those kind of questions," said Daw Htu May.
She estimates that it could be hundreds to thousands voters, out of the total of over 110,000, that are going to lose the right to vote for ethnic affairs.
In the Yangon Region, there are three independent candidates and two candidates from two parties that are vying for the Rakhine Ethnic Affairs seat.
A similar situation is happening to the Kayin Ethnics in townships as well, according to a candidate.
"If already eligible for the 3 votes, as far as we understand the final vote (for ethnic affairs) should be automatically included by the commission. As to why they weren't included..maybe it is the general adminstrator or the commission. I cannot tell for sure. We will only find out when we complain and they look into it," said Kayin People's Party (KPP) candidate Mahn Than Win Oo.
According to him, many instances that the Kayin ethnics were unable to vote occurred in townships such as North Dagon, North Okkalapa, Kawhmu, Kun Chan Kone, Twantay, Mingalardon and so on.
Mahn Than Win Oo said that the commission's efforts were in educating the people that the 3 votes for the parliaments and 1 vote for racial affairs were separate from one another, especially considering that despite having been listed as a Kayin ethnic in the voters list, voters still had to apply through Form 3(a) to be able to vote for the ethnic affairs.
In Yangon, there are six candidates that are vying for the seat from a total eligible voter list of around 200,000.
Contact was attempted with the Yangon Region's election sub-commission and District sub-commission but were not able to as of right now.
