Kantarawaddy Times
According to local residents, government staff under the military junta who had previously fled Bawlakhe in Karenni State due to the fighting have now returned to the town to prepare for the election.
“I heard there are about 20 people. I think they came back for the election,” said a local man.
During December, the military junta has been continuously transporting personnel and food supplies by helicopter.
“I think they’ve almost finished sending them. Just last week alone, two helicopters came about five times. I think they were bringing back staff. I heard that all staff who had taken shelter in nearby town areas are being recalled,” said another local resident who wishes to be anonymous.
Nationwide, the military junta is set to hold the first phase of the election on December 28. In Bawlakhe, which is included in the first phase, only around 200 local residents remain, along with just a few dozen government staff.
“The election they are holding with their own people will only benefit themselves,” said a male Bawlakhe resident who has been displaced by the conflict.
According to Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU) data from 2020, Bawlakhe Township has a population of 8,089. Among the 18 villages in Bawlakhe Township, the Election Commission has announced that elections will not be able to be held in 10 villages.
In the first phase of the election, Bawlakhe and Loikaw townships in Karenni State are included. Local residents also added that security has been tightened in Loikaw.
