According to some candidates, there were several cases of being vote-barring for Rakhine and Kayin ethnics across several townships in Yangon.

“Rakhine ethnics were not able to vote just because they were not part of the list. In the No 16 out of the 20 that they have in Hlaingtharyar, there were many Rakhine ethnics that were unable to vote for their race. It is happening across the whole Yangon Region,” said the independent candidate Daw Htu May who is competing for the Rakhine Ethnic Affairs seat.

She said many Rakhine ethnics from Hlaingtharyar, Shwepyithar, North Oakkalapa, Mayangone, Tamwe, Dagon Seikkan, Thingangyun, South Oakkala and Pazundaung complained to her about their woes.

Since advance voting for over-60 voters began on October 29, Rakhine ethnics have only been able to vote for three seats but not for their own racial affairs, she added.

Despite her alleged complaints to the Yangon’s election commission on November 5 and 7, the issues have not been resolved.

“Even though these problems are rampant on ground-level, the regional commision merely keep reiterating again and again that they can only vote if they are on the list. Whether or not the voters make the list is the responsibility of the commission. Not us, the citizens. If so then why can they vote for Pyitthu Hluttaw and Amyothar Hluttaw but not for Rakhine ethnic affairs? Is this racism? Is this a purposeful violation of citizenship rights to block votes? We are going to have those kinds of questions,” said Daw Htu May.

She estimates that it could be hundreds to thousands voters, out of the total of over 110,000, that are going to lose the right to vote for ethnic affairs.

In the Yangon Region, there are three independent candidates and two candidates from two parties that are vying for the Rakhine Ethnic Affairs seat.

A similar situation is happening to the Kayin ethnics in townships as well, according to a candidate.

“If already eligible for the three votes, as far as we understand the final vote [for ethnic affairs] should be automatically included by the commission. As to why they weren’t included . . . maybe it is the general administrator or the commission. I cannot tell for sure. We will only find out when we complain and they look into it,” said Kayin People’s Party (KPP) candidate Mahn Than Win Oo.

According to him, many instances of Kayin ethnics being unable to vote occurred in townships such as North Dagon, North Okkalapa, Kawhmu, Kun Chan Kone, Twantay and Mingalardon.

Mahn Than Win Oo said the commission’s efforts were in informing the people that the three votes for the parliaments and one vote for racial affairs were separate from one another, especially considering that despite having been listed as a Kayin ethnic in the voters list, voters still had to apply through Form 3(a) to be able to vote for the ethnic affairs.

In Yangon, there are six candidates that are vying for the seat from a total eligible voter list of around 200,000.

Contact was attempted with the Yangon Region’s election sub-commission and District sub-commission but were not able to as of right now.

Eleven Media (MYANMAR)/Asia News Network