Karen voters have limited choice

August 17: (KIC)

Voters in Karen state will have a choice of four political
parties to choose from in the elections planned for 7 November
2010. A voter in Pa-an Township argues that three of the
contesting parties close association with the ruling military
regime taints them.


Saw Gyi* claims are supported by the concerned parties'
electoral information. The Union Solidarity and Development
Party leader is the military regime’s current prime minister
and a former senior military officer, the National Unity
Party’s leader is a former army chief-of-staff and the Karen
State Democracy and Development Party was formed by the regime’s
current Information Minister and who is also an army general.

The only political party without close regime connections and
contesting the election in Karen state is the Plone-S’gaw
Democratic Party, and Saw Gyi explains he prefers it as it
does not have any association with the regime and is grass
root based.

Saw Gyi says the other political parties are regime fronts and
will act as ‘yes men’.

“They will do what they are ordered to do. These people will not
represent the real interests of the people or the country. I’m
concerned if the Plone-S’gaw Democratic Party wins these parties
will sabotage the result and intimidate the PSDP candidates.”

The current chairperson of the Plone-S’gaw Democratic Party is
the only one of the four who has any connection to the local
Karen community and its chairman, Saw Khin Maung Myint says.

“Before we formed this party we canvassed the community about if
they wanted a Karen political party. The response was positive.
It’s up to the community to select their PSDP candidate, not
party officials.”

Saw Gyi says the regime’s 2008 Constitution has already
guaranteed the military dictatorship 25 percent of the seats
in the election.

“They’re taking no chances. Three out of the four parties have
close regime connections, this also favor the government.
The head of the Election Commission, Saw Aung Pwint, is also
closely connected to the NUP.”

There will be seven electorates contested by all the four
parties in the November 7 elections.

*name has been changed to protect the source