Jaloon Htaw, Jury Chai : Two days before the election, the Military Affairs Security Unit (Sa Ya Pha) directed all townships in Mon state to shut down the phone lines from 3 p.m. Saturday and all day Sunday.
According to a Thai phone owner form Mudon Township, the military is worried that election information will spread to other towns and even outside of Burma. Because of this, the country has shut down both the local phone lines and Thai phone lines within Burma.
Many citizens possess Thai cordless phones within Burma, and the Sa Ya Pha directed the telephone operating towers placed in the mountains, which connect villagers Thai cordless phones to phones in Thailand and vice-versa, that the towers need to shut down for the elections.
“We will have to turn off the [phone] lines now. After the elections they will reopen. The Burmese authorities do not want us to communicate with each other,” the Thai phone owner explained.
According to a female phone owner from Lamine Sub-Township, Ye Township, the Township Election Committee has ordered some township to close phone lines just for election day. “The phone lines have to close, and I’ve also heard the big market in Lamine Town must close as well,” she added.
Some residents in villages north and west of Ye Town have also reported a ban on travel to plantations, farms, and public transportation services.
She explained, “The Election Commission has told us not to go out today or tomorrow, and after the election they will give us permission to go out.”
