All Mon Region Democracy Party and Kayin People Party in dire need of funds

Loa Htaw, IMNA
12 May 2010

The All Mon Region Democracy Party (AMRDP) and Kayin People Party (KPP) are both desperately seeking election funds from their respective supporters.

Both parties are facing financial problems and are currently in need of funding to cover all costs necessitated by the election process, including party representative fees, traveling, and office rentals, KPP spokesperson Te Say Wah Nyunt and AMRDP leader Nai Janu informed IMNA today.

According to government election laws released in March of this year, each party must pay a fee of 500 thousand kyat per party representative to the Myanmar Union Election Commission.

In the 1990 elections, the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) registered 19 members for its campaign; registering each member cost a fee of 10,000 kyat. The AMRDP spokesperson indicated that the party wishes to register even more representatives for the upcoming 2010 elections.

Party leaders from each group reported that thus far, both parties have only been able to collect funds from among committee members, and are facing difficulties funding traveling and office rental costs.

“Now we are collecting the funds from among committee members and have a temporary office at Insein in Yangon [Rangoon],” Say Wah Nyunt of the KPP reported. “We do not have the money to rent a permanent office yet.”

Representatives from the AMRDP reported that the party currently lacks even the funds to rent any form of campaign quarters.

Nai Janu stated “ The AMRDP has no permanent or temporary office, and will look for an office soon. Approximately, our party needs 120 million kyat, including 500 thousand kyat for each of the representatives, traveling, office renting and other necessary costs.”

“We do not have money. The businessmen have not donated any money yet, and we want our people to help us to run for the election” he said.

The KPP spokesperson also emphasized, “We are only relying on our people. If our people will donate 500 kyat each, we will not have any problems and we hope our people will provide us [with] the funds.”

Both the AMRDP and the KPP will run in the 2010 elections this fall, overlapping their campaigns in in Mon State, Karen State, and Tenasserim division.

All Mon Region Democracy Party (ARMDP)

The party aims to represent Mon State and other ethnic minority groups living in Mon-controlled regions. The party hopes to increase the political and cultural rights accorded to ethnic minorities, and to aid Burma’s transformation into a democratic state. The AMRDP was officially named and founded during an April 7, 2010 meeting and the party name was approved by the Burmese government on May 4th. The party also elected two leaders to and picked a party flag and symbols that they submitted to the Myanmar Union Election Commission on May 10.

The currently elected party leaders, still pending approval from the Election Commission:

1. Chairman: Nai Ngwe Thein (Nai Janu)
2. Vice Chairman: Nai Hla Aung

The fifteen approved committee members:

1. Nai Ngwe Thein (Nai Janu), party leader No. 1
2. Nai Hla Aung, party leader No. 2
3. Nai Seik
4. Nai Baya Aung Moe
5. Nai Nwe Soe
6. Nai Lawi Ong
7. Nai Chit Oo
8. Nai San Tin
9. Nai Thein Han
10. Nai Myo Thit Lwin
11. Nai Soe Thein
12. Nai Aung Ba
13. Nai Sein Aung
14. Nai Sein Tun
15. Nai Than Shwe

Kayin People Party (KPP)

The KPP was founded on March 31, 2001, and submitted to the Myanmar Union Election Commission for approval. The party aims to promote good relations and trust among the different races in the country, to preserve the culture, literature and heritage of each races and to help groups mutually respect each others’ faiths and cultures, to improve the qualifications and capacity of individuals regardless of their faiths and ethnicities, and to promote the identity and quality of life of the Karen people amid these emerging changes.

The party leaders (pending the approval of the Election Commission)

Chairman: Saw Tun Aung Myint
Vice Chairman: Saw Sai Mon

The fifteen committee members:

1. Saw Tun Aung Myint
2. Saw Sai Mon 1
3. Saw Aye Ko 2
4. Saw Kenneth Wai Thor
5. Naw Tin Tin Yin
6. Saw Say Wah
7. Mahn Tun Tin
8. Naw Lorna
9. Nant Mary Sein
10. Saw Moe Myint
11. Naw Thablay Paw
12. Mahn San Tun
13. Mahn Kyae Win
14. Saw Samuel
15. Saw Pink Ko

Alternate members

1. Mahn Sein Hla Win
2. Naw Hsar Htoo
3. Nant Thinn Thinn Aye
4. Nant Marlar Aye