Khatter Non : Today is the 1st election held in Burma in 20 years, but polling booths have seen overwhelmingly low turnout from citizens in Burma. Residents participating in this boycott have cited lack of representation amongst the candidates, and continued anger over the 2008 constitution that has set the current election in motion.
It appears many voters are choosing not to cast any ballot, even for ethnic delegates. Several voters have indicated they do not see the ethnic delegates as brining any benefit to their ethnic group.
Voters that do go to vote have reported being confused after they arrived at poling stations and found their local ethnic candidates were not listed on the ballots, despite the parties previous approval by the Burmese Election Commission.
As a result of hearing this residents, who had intended to go to the poles have instead chosen not to go.
“I never voted because they [Burmese regime] don’t allow us to vote for our Mon delegate, so nothing is special for us and there is no need to vote,” explained one voter from Three Pagodas Pass (TPP) Township. “If we aren’t able to vote for our Mon delegate we will never go to the polling station.”
Another villager, who has refused to cast votes at local polling stations, has planned not to vote since the 2008 constitutional referendum.
In 2008 the Burmese regime conducted a national referendum of the constitution, part of their proposed 7 step road map to a “discipline democracy” that led to the current election. The referendum passed with a 93% approval rating, though residents and observers reported wide spread fraud and manipulation of ballots.
The constitution makes no guarantee or ethnic minority rights, and automatically guarantees 25% of the parliamentary seats to the military.
A resident from Jone Bell village, Hpa-an township, Karen State, explained, “When the 2008 constitution was confirmed I decided to not vote and to not agree with the election.”
A lack of voters at polling stations appears to be a concern of the current regime.
Earlier today in Lamine sub-township, Ye township, at least 12 villages have seen last minuet efforts by the regime to get voters out to vote. Colonel Khin Mwal Cho, of Tactical Command (TC) No. 1 under the Military Operations Management Command (MOMC) No.19, has actively exhorted the village headmen of the 12 villages, to make residents go to polling stations.
However, one resident said, “They called our villagers to vote at the polling stations but no one is going to vote.”
