Electioneering imminent as UEC announces 60-day campaign window

By Min Tun 06 Sep 2020

Min Tun | DMG
6 September, Sittwe 

The Union Election Commission (UEC) has set a 60-day campaign period for Myanmar’s upcoming general election, from 6 a.m. on September 8 to 12 midnight on November 6, as political aspirants gear up to win voters’ favour amid a global pandemic. 

The UEC’s September 6 statement said that when campaigning, political parties and candidates must pay heed to the health and safety protocols issued by the Ministry of Health and Sports in accordance with its COVID-19 prevention and control efforts.  

Those COVID-19 restrictions are a major hindrance to political parties in their electioneering, said U Myo Kyaw, secretary of the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD). 

“The political parties make campaign promises by gathering the voters. This time is a pre-election period for political parties to set up organisational structures ahead of the general election. So the COVID-19 restrictions have become a limitation for the political parties in conducting election campaigns,” he said. 

Arakan State-based political parties are also struggling to conduct election campaigning via social media due to poor internet access in parts of the state where only a 2G mobile internet network is available. 

“The government said that it resumed internet access in Arakan State, but 2G internet access is not convenient for us,” said U Tun Aung Kyaw, a member of the policy affairs committee for the Arakan National Party (ANP). “We face many difficulties to carry out political campaigns in Arakan State via social media due to the poor internet connection.” 

The government is currently limiting residents of Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Myebon, Rathedaung and Buthidaung townships in Arakan State, and Chin State’s Paletwa Township, to only 2G internet. 

The November 8 general election likely will not be held in some Arakan State townships due to ongoing conflict in the region, a member of the UEC said at a press conference on September 2. Constituencies in which elections won’t be held will be announced closer to Election Day.  

Any decision to postpone the nationwide vote due to COVID-19 will be made in October, the UEC said last week.