As there is no possibility of holding free and fair elections in the Wa control region in Monghsat Township, four political parties urged the Union Election Commission (UEC) to close polling stations in time.
The four political parties are the ruling National League for Democracy, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, Shan Nationalities Democratic Party and Lahu National Development Party.
The United Wa State Army (UWSA) yesterday announced that the region was giving its first proprietary to carry out preventive measures against COVID-19 disease. So, didn’t misunderstand the UWSA about the inconvenient canvassing campaigns.
In Monghsat Township, there are 230 villages comprising 35 wards and village-tracts.
Among 35 wards and village-tracts, four village-tracts involving 21 villages are under Wa control region and then there are about 22,743 eligible voters and 12 polling stations.
The four political parties said that there had been gates to check arrival and departure of peoples and the vehicles. Moreover, they submitted the reports in phase by phase concerning canvassing campaigns. So, they didn’t hold a free election campaign. Mainly, there had been difficulties of communication access denied to the ward authorities. That’s why they submitted the matters to the UEC on November 3rd.
The southern parts of Wa Special Region-2 involving Mongton and Monghsat Townships have a dense crowd. If there will be an outbreak of infectious disease, the region has no enough medicines to control the disease. Moreover, the transportation access is very difficult in the region. Aiming to prevent measures against deadly COVID-19 virus, the region carried out fever screening activities to the passengers and drivers at the gates and then they also sprayed disinfectant solution on the motorbikes and vehicles since the beginning of October 12th, according to the UWSA’s announcement.
The UWSA also said that they didn’t prohibit the arrival and departure of peoples and canvassing campaigns of relevant political parties. For nationals living in the Wa region, they can choose freely their favorite party and cast their votes. The Wa authorities didn’t bring pressure to bear on the nationals.
If political parties will hold canvassing campaigns in the Wa control region, they must inform about numbers of supporters and vehicles. In doing so, it was very easy to carry out the preventative measures against the COVID-19 virus, according to the Wa announcement.
With the aim to secure transportation access for the candidates, there will be a little time taken for waiting as authorities repeatedly inform the relevant gates.
