Arka : Around ten villages in southern Mon State gathered together at Khalotot Village, Lamine Sub-Township, Ye Township to protest the upcoming elections on November 7th.
About 500 villagers, medic workers, and students protested for two hours between 7am to 9 am, reported one protester. “We protested because the 2010 election is the same as the 2008 constitution which will only prolong the dictatorship,” this protester said.
Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 106 and LIB No. 61 are currently investigating the protesters, and Ye Township Peace and Development Council (TPDC) will hold a meeting on November 4th to investigate the protest as well, reported a Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) member.
One medic worker said they shouted “Protest the Burmese regime election,” “Demolish dictatorship rule,” “Establish democracy,” and “Discuss tripartite dialogue.”
This is the second protest against the November 7th elections in the past week. The first protest was on October 25th in Kyun Ywa village, Ye Township, an area controlled by the Karen National Union (KNU). About 20 villages gathered together near Kyun Ywa village and protested from 7am to 10 am against the Burmese government announcing that the area is not secure and unfair to the election, therefore banning these villages from participating in the election.
On September 16th, Burmese government authorities officially stated with Announcement 101 that the election will not be held in 46 village-tracts in Kyainnseikyi Township, including Anan Kwin village tract and Gyun Chaung village tract, with these areas being excluded from voting on November 7th.
A primary school teacher from the Kyun Ywa village protest said that “their recognition of our area as a no security and unfair zone is not fair because they [Burmese government officials] are afraid the Karen parties will win the election.”
Announcement 101 also stated that a total of 155 village-tracts in Karen State, including 11from Hpa-an Township, 17 from Hlaing Bwe Township, 27 from Hpa Pun Township, 36 from Thandang Township, 4 from Myawaddy Township, 14 from Kawkareik Township, and 46 from Kyainnseikyi Township are to be excluded from the elections.
These are not the only areas to protest against the upcoming elections, and according to local residents, Burmese army authorities collected a pamphlet protesting the 2010 elections, which reads, “No 2010” between Thanphyuzayart and Ye Townships a few days ago.
