Burma’s Democracy Party says Leader Wins-Video English

NLD files official complaint against ballot tampering

Mizzima) – A complaint letter has been sent to the Union Election Commission by the National League for Democracy (NLD) party objecting to some polling stations refusing to exchange tampered ballots. The ballots were tampered with wax, which prevented voters from recording their ballots properly, it said.

A voter cast a ballot. Photo: Mizzima / Ye Min

The NLD said polling station officials refused to exchange the faulty ballots.

The letter said incidents of ballot tampering occurred in Nyaungbinthar, Sinshin, Tanei, Ahlepone and Chaungna villages in Pale Township, Sagaing Region, and other constituencies including Mawlamyine, Myanaung, Magwe, Kawhmu, Mingalataungnyunt, Mayangon, Dagon Seikkan, Taungdwingyi and Kalaw (Aungban).

Similar cases were rampant across the country, said the NLD.

In Pale Ni Chan village, the polling station chief herself checked the box for Union Solidarity and Development Party candidates on behalf of some voters, said NLD officials.

The voting ended at 4 p.m., and ballot counting has begun in many areas.

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NLD party projected that it had won around 40 seats in Parliament

(Mizzima) – Early Monday morning, the NLD party projected that it had won around 40 seats in Parliament, including four seats in the ruling party’s stronghold of Naypyitaw. The announcement was based on unofficial results.

NLD supporters stayed up late Sunday night celebrating in front of the LED screen in front of NLD headquarters which announced election predictions. The NLD is claiming a landslide victory, moving it into Parliament where in can work with other opposition groups on legislation towards national reconciliation. Photo: Mizzima

The party ran candidates in 44 seats. The victory mirrors a landslide victory in the 1990 election, which at that time was not honoured by the ruling military regime.

The vote confirms Aung San Suu Kyi, 66, as the opposition leader, putting her in an official position to shape public opinion and to try to draw support from government and military lawmakers, who she reached out to in the waning days of the campaign.

NLD supporters gathered in front of the LED screen at Rangoon headquarters, some still struggling to grasp the amazing transformation of Burmese politics over the past year and a half: seeing Suu Kyi released from house arrest and her rise to claim a seat in Parliament.

Some say the military-dominated government is using her as a tool to garner the removal of sanctions, a necessary step in opening up the country economically. The removal of a host of sanctions seems to be assured now, but until all political prisoners are released it’s doubtful that many countries will roll back all sanctions.

2015, the next parliamentary election date, is a long way off, but some people are already anticipating the day when Suu Kyi will run for president. 

Wax covered ballot cards threaten vote in Kaw Mu Township

April 1 | 

• Author: Nan Thoo Lei (KIC)

Staff at the polling station 1, at Pyi Taw Tar, under the Kaw Mu Township electorate denied voters’ requests to change the waxed covered voting cards they were issued, with unwaxed cards that they could write on, according to local witnesses.

A Yangon Press International journalist told Karen Newsabout a voter, Daw Kyi Aye’s claims that it was impossible to mark her voting card properly.

“Daw Kyi Aye told me that she can’t mark a tick because her ballot [card] was covered in wax. She tried to make it appear again and again, later her tick became two or three draw lines. She asked the polling station staff to change her dirty ballot with a new one as she worried her ballot will be denied, but the commission staff would not change it for her.”

Daw Kyi Aye accused Daw Aye Aye Hlaing, the polling station chief at Pyi Taw Tar polling station 1 and U Myo Thant, quarter commissioner in Kaw Mu Township of denying her of the chance to make her vote count at the ballot.

There is only one polling station at Pyi Taw Tar quarter, Kaw Mu Township and an election watch group, will examine the Daw Kyi Aye’s case.

Burmese Army torches a guest house and homes

As another sign of grave human rights violations against indigenous people of the land, Burmese Army soldiers of 390^th Light Infantry Regiment pounded Npawn village with heavy artillery on March 28, 2012. After shelling the village from a distance, the soldiers entered the village and torched 4 houses.

Local sources reported that Burmese Army soldiers set fire to 7 houses at Namsan-yang village on March 25, 2012. One local guest house and 7 houses were burned to ashes. Soldiers from 388^th Light Infantry Regiment reportedly committed this crime against civilians.

This is for the second time Namsan-yang village is ransacked and torched. In last October, Burmese Army soldiers of 121^st Light Infantry Battalion and 348^th Light Infantry Regiment who were stationed in Namsan-yang Kachin Baptist Church and Buddhist Monastery ransacked, robbed and burned shops and tortured villagers in Nansan-yang. Two local residents, U Htay Maung and U Tin Win, were tortured and killed by Burmese soldiers. U Tin Win was tied before he was burned alive. Frontline sources reported Burmese government’s 121^st Light Infantry Battalion and 348^th Light Infantry Regiment later retrieved from Namsan-yang village on Oct 19, 2011.

Armed conflict enters 9 months with no signs of abating despite several rounds of talks between Kachin and Burmese governments. A battle took place between KIA’s 5^th Brigade and Burmese Army’s 388^th LIR at Edin village on March 28 morning for 30 minutes.

Skirmishes continue between Kachin and Burmese Army in other parts of KIA’s 5^th Brigade areas. Heavy fighting was reported on Wednesday, March 27 in battles at Hka La and Gang Dau. The exact number is not known for casualties on both sides.

KIO has repeatedly demanded Burmese government to withdraw its troops from KIO’s territories if government’s peace initiatives are sincere and genuine. Almost all recent battles took place in KIO’s recognized territories during ceasefire period from 1994-2011.

kachin land news

Shan State Poll Watch-2.April

22:00, 1 April 2012)
Lashio

Village Tract	KDUP	SNDP	USDP	LNDP	NLD	Invalid
Nawng Mawn (Pong Htoon)	1	220	53	3	173	10
Hang Na-Hernlawn	4	888	30	6	41	70
Downtown (62 stations)	5,488	10,148	7,834	938	20,535	?

A soldier from a battalion, based in Lashio, says his freedom to exercise his right, like others in the unit, was forfeited when his superiors took the responsibility to tick his ballot paper.

SNDP monitors say apart from Kung Mong and Nampawng, where the People’s Militia Force (PMF) of Bo Mon is supreme, and Quarter # 5 (Kawng Ai) where the NLD is leading, the SNDP appears to be doing well. (Data at 09:30, 2 April, says SNDP is still leading)

Hsenwi
According to Sai Win Khaing, MP, People’s Assembly, elections held in Hsenwi is generally free and fair. The SNDP won by a wide margin in most of the polling stations in Hsenwi.

Mongyai
The SNDP is leading in 13 polling stations, NLD in 1 and USDP in 1. (18:00)

In 45 polling stations, SNDP gets 9,050 votes, NLD 2,971 and USDP 2,731 (22:00)

Kalaw, People Assembly

Village Tract	NUP	SNDP	USDP	NLD	PNO	Invalid
*Mulon	12	7	–	410	2	–
*Kabani	17	–	11	237	5	30
*Kyauk Pawk	1	–	109	57	2	18
115 polly stations out of 131 stations	1,212	491	14,692	40,781	8,321	2,794

*Data from Eleven Media Group (Sao Tha Oo, SNDP candidate, 09:30, 2 April, says NLD won by 43,943 votes)

Observation

At Quarter # 5, Lashio, 1 polling station has 1,355 eligible voters. Only 454 turned up to exercise their rights.

At Wanmark, Mongyaw, also in Lashio Township, there are more than 500 eligible voters, but no one turned up all day. So far, nobody knows the reason.

One SNDP monitor commented that many Shans don’t have ID cards, because they used to be expensive and also many Shans didn’t think they need to go anywhere outside Lashio. “Now that the IDs are cheaper, about 5,000 kyat, and we need their support, the people must be encouraged to obtain ID cards from now on,” he said. “On the other hand, ethnic Chinese, both native and alien, are buying ID cards at more than 100,000 kyat each. This trend will grow, if it is not kept in check.”

White Tiger “almost certain” to win

Although the Lashio District Election Commission (DEC) has yet to make an announcement, the White Tiger Party, as the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) is commonly known, believes it will turn out the winner in the race for the Upper House seat in Shan State North’s 5 townships.

This morning the White Tiger’s Sai Sam Min was leading with more than 39,000 votes in Lashio, while the National League for Democracy’s Sai Myint Maung and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)’s Dr Nang Keng Phawng Tip were trailing along with more than 34,000 and than 28,000 respectively.

In Hsenwi, the SNDP also appears to be the clear winner though no figures have yet to be disclosed.

In Mongyai, Sai Sam Min obtained 9,050; Sai Myint Maung, 2,971; and Nang Keng Phawng Tip, 2,713.

The following figures are from Seven Day Facebook:

Township	KDUP	SNDP	USDP	LNDP	NLD	Invalid
Tangyan	–	11,223	7,693	?	3,966	?
Kunlong	6,941	1,433	6,491	1,165	5,163	?

“A DEC member just called us and said ‘I think a victory party is in order’,” said an SNDP member at 13:00.

The official announcement is expected to be made at 17:00, he added.

The White Tiger was soundly beaten by the Fighting Peacock (the NLD’s logo) in Kalaw, with 43,943 to its 607. Its expected win in Shan State North is likely to be a close call, according to the sources there.

http://www.english.panglong.org/

Election Shan: Sao Tha Oo, SNDP candidate,says NLD candidate Dr Than Ngwe won by 43,943 votes.

Sao Tha Oo, SNDP candidate, who just left Kalaw township Election Commission, says NLD candidate Dr Than Ngwe won by 43,943 votes. Meanwhile, SNDP candidate Sai Sam Min is leading with more than 39,000 votes in Constituency # 3. The counting is still going on in Lashio, while waiting for ballot boxes from other townships. (SHAN)