By Kantarawaddy Times
In Loikaw, Karenni State, the local census committee under the military government has begun preparations for the 2024 population and housing census, conducting training for census enumerators today, September 3, according to local sources.
The military government has officially announced that the nationwide census will be conducted from October 1 to 15, 2024.. In Loikaw, Karenni State, the relevant departments under the military government are making preparations to carry out the census.
“One thing is certain: the military government will continue with its agenda. They will go ahead with the census no matter what. How they will do it is unclear,” said U Bayan, the Secretary-2 of the Interim Executive Council (IEC) of Karenni State.
Military leader General Min Aung Hlaing also urged people to participate in the 2024 population and housing census as part of preparations for future elections. In his speech, he stated that the census is a fundamental requirement for holding a free and fair democratic election.
The data collected from the census will be crucial for effective governance, planning, and decision-making, as it will serve as an evidence-based foundation, the military leader added.
A local resident from Loikaw said, “We’ve been hearing about this since a few months ago. I didn’t expect they would do it here in Loikaw, given that fighting continues frequently, and there aren’t many people left in town. To be honest, I am worried. We had a census not too long ago, and it feels like they are coming to take our information again. So far, we haven’t seen any official announcements from the military in Loikaw regarding the census.”
In 2023, the military government conducted a door-to-door census in towns such as Loikaw, Hpruso, and Bawlakhe, which are under its control, as part of its election preparations. The resistance forces had urged the public not to participate in the military’s planned election.
“Another thing is, they may only be able to cover a small part of the town. It won’t bring any significant results. The public can’t really do much. Under the military’s pressure and threats, it’s hard to say what will happen,” U Bayan from the IEC stated.
Amid the ongoing full-scale military operations in Karenni State, the military’s control is limited to Loikaw city itself, while fighting continues in the surrounding areas. The IEC of Karenni State, which was established within a year, has already begun operating governance systems in eight townships across Karenni State. Among these, Shadaw and Mese townships are completely free from military control, while in other townships, only a few military battalions remain stationed. Most areas are under the control of the resistance forces.
