KSPP dissolves over denied registration, junta harassment

Phanida

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – The Kachin State Progressive Party was to announce on Saturday its formal dissolution, after the junta’s electoral watchdog rejected its registration and in the face of military intelligence harassment, the party’s secretary has said.

The party, formed with 39 central committee members including Dr. Manam Tu Ja, was prevented from standing in Burma’s first elections in 20 years by the Union Election Commission (UEC). Around 4,000 party members will be informed about the dissolution, according to a decision reached at a party meeting on Thursday.

“We will cease [the existence of] our party”, party secretary Tu Raw said.

Around 14 party leaders had also tried to stand for polls as independent candidates but the UEC rejected all of their candidatures, reports said.

However, Waw Thar, from the Lasang Awng Wa Peace Group (LAWPG), was accepted by UEC to stand in Waimaw constituency two. The faction led by Colonel Lasan Awng Wah broke from the Kachin Independence Organisation’s (KIO) forces last October and accepted the junta’s proposal of conversion into the Border Guard Forces (BGF) under Burmese Army command.

Regime leaders including Minister of Industry (1) Aung Thaung had accused KSPP leaders of continuing links with the KIO ceasefire group, allegations that Kachin leaders denied, saying the KSPP leaders in question had already officially resigned their KIO posts.

A member of the Kachin Consultative Committee said that the decision to dissolve also came after harassment by Military Affairs Security (military intelligence) staff.

“Military intelligence personnel asked them [party members] various questions, such as with whom they were contacting and working with, in fear of their opposition. So we will officially announce the party is no more. It’s better to dissolve it as we can’t do anything with this party,” he told Mizzima.

The UEC’s rejection of registering the KSPP gives the junta-supported National Unity Party (NUP) a major advantage, a local resident and former KSPP member told Mizzima.

“They [NUP leaders] might field some candidates from NUP in some [local] constituencies under these circumstances,” the resident said.

Nine candidates from the United Democratic Party of Kachin State (UDPKS) will contest in various Hluttaw (parliament) constituencies. The UDPKS is deemed an ally of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party.