The Irrawaddy Magazine |
| Will 2015 Election be Free and Fair? Posted: 07 Nov 2015 07:24 AM PST
The post Will 2015 Election be Free and Fair? appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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National News |
| Crowd cheers vote count in Mandalay after fears of rigging Posted: 08 Nov 2015 08:06 AM PST To cheers and boos from the watching public, electoral officials in a Mandalay Region township are counting votes one by one in public. The unusual counting method was adopted to allay fears that unqualified voters had been trucked in to rig the result. |
| Voters arrive early in Mingalar Taung Nyunt Posted: 08 Nov 2015 05:25 AM PST By 9:30AM today, most voters in Yangon Region's Mingalar Taung Nyunt township had already cast their votes. Most of the rest seemed to be patiently queuing to do so. |
| Commander votes on behalf of election police officer in Kokang Posted: 08 Nov 2015 03:01 AM PST A member of an election police unit in the Kokang region has told The Myanmar Times that his superior cast an advance vote on their behalf. |
| "Asian politicians are sore losers": Damaso G. Magbual, ANFREL Head of Mission Posted: 08 Nov 2015 02:28 AM PST The Myanmar Times sat down with Damaso G. Magbual, Head of Mission of ANFREL (Asian Network for Free Elections) |
| Senior general promises to respect result, warns public to do the same Posted: 08 Nov 2015 01:51 AM PST Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has promised to respect the outcome of today's landmark election, and said he wants the party that people can "really depend on" to win. |
| Military voters line up in Mandalay Posted: 08 Nov 2015 01:11 AM PST Inside the moat of Mandalay's iconic royal palace, hundreds of mostly military voters are casting their ballots. |
| Military watches over some voters in Taunggyi Posted: 07 Nov 2015 11:43 PM PST There is was overt military security as voters - soldiers, military families and local civilians - lined up to vote in at least one polling station on the outskirts of the Shan State capital of Taunggyi. |
| Soldiers step out of uniforms, into polling stations in Shan State Posted: 07 Nov 2015 11:13 PM PST
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| Counting begins as some polling stations stay open Posted: 07 Nov 2015 10:29 PM PST Myanmar's most inclusive elections in 25 years appeared assured of a high turnout on Sunday as long and anxious queues of voters formed early in the day. The military commander said he would respect the result. |
| Slander letters against NLD were distributed in Mandalay Posted: 07 Nov 2015 09:00 PM PST The National League for Democracy claims a slander campaign is being waged against it in Mandalay's Na Hto Gyi township, with unknown persons repeatedly distributing pamphlets alleging that the party is backed by Muslims. |
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Shan Herald Agency for News |
| “I need to wait to decide how I feel about this election”: Reflections of Panglong voters Posted: 08 Nov 2015 05:11 AM PST  SHAN reporters spoke with locals in Panglong, Loilem Township, southern Shan State, as they exited the polls during Burma's national election today. Voters commonly expressed frustration with long waits, disorganization and crowding. In this area, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) is believed to be the favored party among the public, and many told SHAN that they had voted for SNLD candidates. Loilem Township has an estimated 83,000 voters and is located in the district by the same name, which is home to seven townships in total. Last week SHAN reported that in two of these townships, Kesi and Mong Hsu, voting had been cancelled by the Union Election Commission due to ongoing armed conflict, causing the annulment of over 100,000 votes.
"I got here at 6:15 a.m. We were looking for our names on the voting lists. We had to go to each polling station, one by one. Some people got bored and went back home. All people have their ID cards, but their names are not on the lists. The people responsible for the polling places said they needed to come back in the evening. I need to wait until the evening to decide how I feel about this election. I voted for the SNLD. I like this party. I think they will make a change."
"They were not following the numbers. It is very busy outside, and we cannot go inside. It was crowded, so I will go back home for a while and come back later to vote."
"My name was supposed to be on the list at polling station Number One. But then I was told that my name was not there and I had to go to polling place Number Two. Some people went with me, and they were tired of going back and forth checking for their names, so they went back home. I voted for SNLD, because I like their policies. I voted for SNDP in 2010, but now there are two [Shan] parties so I have a choice...I hope this election will make this country become a democracy and federal union."
"I voted for the SNLD because I believe they will change politics for the better."
"It was very crowded. They were not calling us in the order of our numbers. Whoever got here first, voted first. I heard them call a number over 2000, but I don't understand when each number will be called. The person responsible for the polling place was not managing the people outside. They told us to make three lines, but they didn't enforce it. People didn't listen. I don't understand what they want to do. In my village tract, there are about 1,500 people. Some families were not able to get numbers for everyone in their household."
"I got here at 6 a.m. I waited for one hour to vote. It was crowded for the people here. Now I have voted, and I voted for SNLD. I hope that SNLD wins, because I want the political situation to improve." By NANG HOM AND SIMMA FRANCIS (Shan Herald Agency for News / S.H.A.N) | ||||||||||||
| Eligible voters allegedly disqualified in Namzang Township Posted: 08 Nov 2015 02:19 AM PST Thousands of eligible voters in southern Shan State have not been able to vote in today's national election, according to a candidate from the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) in Namzang Township.  Sai Htan Sein, of the SNDP, observed voting processes in Namzang's Loi Yai and Wan Pong Sub-Townships. He told SHAN that many people who possess national IDs and family records are being told that they cannot vote. "There are over 70,000 people in Namzang Township who are eligible to vote. But many of them, particularly in remote areas, are unable to vote," Sai Htan Sein said. "They are very disappointed." He explained that there are many reasons why people might be left off of the list of eligible voters, including a lack of proper identification, which is a common problem for those in rural areas. Some people reportedly only have family records, rather than an ID card, leaving them ineligible to vote. Sai Htan Sein described the election process as "complicated," and alleged that while citizens currently living in villages in Shan State are being made ineligible to vote, those who live in Thailand are still eligible to vote. However, last week, SHAN reportedon the marginalization of Shan migrant workers in Thailand during the election period. Legally, voters must have resided in their homes for 180 days prior to the election, making it difficult for migrants to vote. There have also been inconsistencies reported in overall household eligibility, where some family members are told they are eligible to vote, and others are disqualified. Sai Kyaw Win, a Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) parliamentary candidate in Namzang Township, said that in addition to a high number of disqualified voters, there are voters who have been deemed eligible even though there are mistakes on the voter list regarding their name or gender. "We are not satisfied, but we can't do anything," said Sai Htan Sein. By SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N) | ||||||||||||
| Ethnic Politics and the 2015 Elections in Myanmar Posted: 07 Nov 2015 08:32 AM PST Myanmar is heading to the polls in November 2015, with an expected shift in power from the old elite to the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD). However it remains unclear whether the new political space created by the transition away from military rule will bring significant legislative power to ethnic nationality-based parties.  Recommendations • The 2015 general election presents an important opportunity to give political voice to Myanmar's diverse ethnic nationality communities and empower them to pursue their aspirations, provided that it is genuinely free and fair. • If successfully held, the general election is likely to mark another key step in the process of national transition from decades of military rule. However the achievement of nationwide peace and further constitutional reform are still needed to guarantee the democratic rights, representation and participation of all peoples in determining the country's future. • Although nationality parties are likely to win many seats in the polls, the impact of identity politics and vote-splitting along ethnic and party lines may see electoral success falling short of expectations. This can be addressed through political cooperation and reform. It is essential for peace and stability that the democratic process offers real hope to nationality communities that they can have greater control over their destiny. • Inequitable distribution of political and economic rights has long driven mistrust and conflict in Myanmar. The 2015 general election must mark a new era of political inclusion, not division, in national politics. After the elections, it is vital that an inclusive political dialogue moves forward at the national level to unite parliamentary processes and ethnic ceasefire talks as a political roadmap for all citizens.  Download : Ethnic Politics and the 2015 Elections in Myanmar(pdf, 268.41 KB) |
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