NAYPYITAW-----The Union Election Commission (UEC) is now reviewing cancellation of upcoming general elections in some States and Regions, says Myint Naing, a UEC member.
UEC held a press release on electoral news in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon and UEC’s member Myint Naing also attended it.
“We reviewed the abolishment of some constituencies for the upcoming election. Currently, we are considering the affairs of Ann and Paletwa. We don’t yet know how the reports will be about the canceling of some constituencies, submitted by the UEC’s sub-commissions,” said Myint Naing.
Union Election Commission (UEC) announced cancellation of holding general elections in some states and regions as these areas do not meet conditions to hold a free and fair general election on October 16.
According to the announcement, the election will not be held in some areas in Rakhine, Kachin, Kayin, Mon and Shan States as well as in the Bago Region.
In Rakhine State, Pauktaw, Ponnakyun,Yethedaung, Butheedaung, Maungdaw, Kyauktaw, Myinbya, Myaybon, and Myauk U totaling 9 townships, 2 wards and 52 village tracts in Kyauk Phyu, 3 wards and 29 village tracts in Ann township, 4 village tracts in Sittwe, 10 wards in Taunggup and 52 village tracts will be cancelled for election.
In Kachin State, one village tract in Khaung Lan Phoo, 30 village tracts from Sumprabum, 15 village tracts from Machanbaw, 22 village tracts from Mansi, 21 village tracts from Moemauk, 9 village tracts from Shweku, 9 village tracts from Chiphwe, 8 village tracts from Sawlot, 2 village tracts from Taning, 13 village tracts from Waingmaw, 6 village tracts from In Gyan Yan.
In Kayin State, 2 village tracts from Kawkareik, 9 village tracts from Kyarinseikgyi, 25 village tracts from Pharpon, Pyinmaseik village tract in Pha An, 8 village tracts from Thandaung Gyi, and 3 from Myawaddy are among the cancellation list.
Bawnawkhee village tract in Belin, Mon State, 12 village tracts from Kyauk Gyi and 30 village tracts from Shwekyin in Bago Region and some village tracts in Shan State are among the cancellation list.
However, the critics have raised questions on issues such as that of Paletwa Township in Chin State where there had been serious fighting between the military [Tatmadaw] and the Arakan Army, but is still allowed for election despite removal of others.
Dr Min Zaw Oo, executive director of Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security (MIPS), posted on his Facebook that the Paletwa Township in Chin State saw the most fights across the nation in 2020, according to the MIPS’s report.
Dr Min Zaw Oo also posted that he would like to know about the UEC’s standardization for holding the upcoming general election across the nation. For example, although there was no fighting in Paletwa Township, the election campaign wasn’t carried out due to the threat of armed groups. Currently, Paletwa Township faces food shortages. Moreover, it was very difficult to carry out election campaigns for the candidates because transportation access is very difficult and those people in Paletwa Township were attacked. Even UEC decided to hold the general election in Paletwa Township. However, some constituencies in Rakhine State were abolished to hold the general election. That’s why he would like to urge the UEC to release the decision against holding of the upcoming election in Paletwa Township where the regional security was unstable.
Myint Naing replied that the announcement about the abolishment of upcoming elections in some constituencies in states and regions was issued in accordance with the remarks of the Ministry of Union Government, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the relevant UEC’s sub-commissions.
