The United Nationalities Alliance issued a statement on October 19 categorically denouncing the Union Election Commission’s (UEC) announcement to abolish some constituencies and calling for a review.

While the election is to be held in Yangon Region hardest hit by Covid-19, the failed plan to hold the election in other states that does not see both regional instability and the Covid-19 outbreak. And this can undermine the credibility of the UEC, the statement says.

“There is no fighting at all Mongkai in southern Shan State and Pauktaw in Rakhine State which are on the list of the abolished constituencies. We cannot say they lack security. When it comes to security, there is human security as well. Even if they can hold elections in big cities like Yangon where human security is waning, elections should take place in other regions which see lesser Covid-19 cases. It’s unfair. This is why we show our strong opposition,” said Sai Leik, UNA spokesperson and general secretary of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy.

In the statement, the UNA, a coalition of mostly ethnic political parties, has called on the UEC to make a timely review to ensure a free and fair election.

Of the nine abolished township constituencies in Rakhine State, Pauktaw Township sees no fighting while there is no fighting in Mongkai Township out of the six abolished constituencies in Shan State.

Sai Leik commented that elections should be held in these two townships as well as in some other abolished constituencies.

He said that the UEC should have heeded the suggestions of local people and political parties instead of security advisers alone.

“If the UEC really wants to see a free and fair election, I want to say that they should make a review on a timely basis,” Sai Leik said.

The UEC announced on October 16 that elections would not take place in over 500 wards and village-tracts in Rakhine, Shan, Kachin, Kayah and Mon states and Bago Region including nine townships in Rakhine State and six townships in Shan State.

The UNA statement says such an act could not ensure a free and fair election and it is an act of discrimination against ethnic nationalities.

UNA is formed with 13 political parties. All of them, except the United Nationalities Democracy Party, are ethnic parties.