Featured Image: Karen voting lists from 2015, Karen News
In light of Burma’s third national election on November 8, the US Campaign for Burma will be publishing a series of blogs covering the disenfranchisement of Burma’s ethnic groups in their respective states. This is the second blog in the election series, following our first blog on Chin and Rakhine state, and will cover Kachin and Karen states.
Kachin state voters raised concerns about the accuracy of voter information following a series of voter rolls that were publicly posted in the Yangon region on July 25th. A Kachin state election officer relayed that voter lists in Kachin state consisted of information compiled from an incomplete voter survey. Because the survey was carried out during a designated period, many were excluded from the count and did not have their names on the list. This is especially problematic when considering the plight of internally displaced peoples in Kachin state- due to conflict incited by the Burma Army, thousands have been forcibly displaced from their homes and would not have been counted by the surveyors after fleeing their villages.
2015 totaled over 870,000 eligible votes in Kachin state- this number has since risen to over 1 million voters in Burma’s 2020 general election, with 889 polling booths to be built in Kachin state. While sites for villagers to cast their votes are being prepared for, the ease of access to these polling booths is rarely taken into account- Kachin state has been ravaged by conflict that threatens the security of voters as well as their ability to safely access polling sites.
This lack of prioritization of Burma’s ethnic groups is further seen in the mass disenfranchisement of Kachin citizens. The Kachin State Election Commission noted that out of the over 1 million registered voters in Kachin state, 150,000 were omitted from voting lists due to lack of a national ID card. The vice-chair of the Kachin State People’s Party explained that many are unaware that they need to obtain an ID card when they become an adult and that the government fails to note the importance of voting, disincentivizing civilians to register and cast their votes.
Problems pursue for Karen state voters as well- according to the Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP), many villagers fear being excluded in the 2020 elections after a history of disenfranchisement in Karen state. In 2015, the Human Rights Foundation of Monland published a report focusing on Kyar Inn Seik Gyi Township, Karen State, where 38 village tracts suffered from poll cancellations due to vague “security concerns.” Civilians are wary of this exclusion occurring again in November and are already facing issues with voter registration- the vice-chair of the KNDP stated that registrations were carried out by “government assigned village administrations” while many areas, notably Hpapun and Kyar Inn Seik Gyi townships, do not have administration chiefs. The Karen National Union relayed that dialogue between the government and ethnic armed groups is ongoing to ensure that all villagers have the right to vote in the 2020 national elections.
In addition to issues with voter registration, Karen state is also experiencing mass displacement and conflict. The thousands of internally displaced persons in Karen state never held National Register of Citizens cards and will be rendered ineligible to vote. Further, voting will be restricted in towns in the vicinity of Karen National Union-controlled territories, excluding IDPs in these areas from the election altogether. This disenfranchisement of those forcibly displaced by the Burma Army’s violence is a major issue that many observers, including Karen media, predict will not see much change even after the November elections, representing a continuation of Karen state’s history of disenfranchisement and displacement.
The USCB was able to speak with independent candidates in Karen state and gained valuable insight on their concerns regarding campaigning and government intervention. Candidates feel that they must follow very strict guidelines when campaigning and are often restricted from certain areas due to COVID-19 concerns. The Burmese government is also noted to be discouraging civilians from voting for independent candidates- this drives the country further from free and fair elections as ethnic candidates, who are without proper campaigning and support, are less likely to win and represent their people.
Kachin and Karen states need to be recognized in Burma’s upcoming elections and cannot continue to follow their histories of ethnic disenfranchisement. The Burmese government and Burma Army need to be held accountable for their lack of prioritization of the nation’s voting rights and their constant efforts to impede the development of a true democracy.
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