SNDP candidate arrested in Pakokku as disputed election nears

A candidate from the Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), also known as the White Tiger Party, was arrested last week while running for a regional parliamentary seat in Magway Region’s Pakokku Township, party officials said. The junta’s election commission said in a December 3 statement that 37-year-old candidate Wai Lin Htet was taken into custody around 3pm on November 29 at his home in Aye Kyun village by three alleged People’s Defense Force (PDF) members who arrived on two motorcycles. SNDP general secretary Sai Bo Aung confirmed the arrest, saying the party has received no further information about the candidate’s condition or whereabouts. He added that the central office is still trying to verify details surrounding the incident. Wai Lin Htet, who chairs the Kyar Phyu Party in Pakokku Township, had shared on social media the inauguration of the party’s township office there on September 6. A male resident of Pakokku District said he only learned that Kyar Phyu Party candidates were planning to contest in the area—where resistance forces maintain a strong presence—after reports of the arrest began to circulate. “I believe Wai Lin Htet has taken a significant risk,” the resident, who requested anonymity, told Myanmar Now. “This area is under ‘Red’ control, and I can’t fathom the kind of bravery required for them to venture into it.” ‘Red zones' referenced by officials were areas known for strong support for the National League for Democracy (NLD), where political parties aligned with the junta faced significant pressure, pushback, and limited access. The resident added that some parties have confined their campaign activities to Pakokku Township’s urban wards, saying they are unable to safely canvas in surrounding villages. The junta’s election commission said on December 3 that authorities have pressed charges against the three alleged PDF members accused of detaining the candidate to obstruct his election activities.Myanmar’s planned election has been widely dismissed by critics as a sham, with opposition groups and international observers arguing that voting cannot be free or fair under military rule. The country has a long and troubled history with elections marked by repression, disenfranchisement and crackdowns on dissent, deepening skepticism over the credibility of the upcoming poll.Cases have been filed against 14 individuals, including the alleged PDF members, with three already in custody. This brings the number of people detained under the new election law to more than 100, according to the junta’s statement.A resistance member in Pakokku confirmed that the Kyar Phyu Party candidate was detained by a local anti-junta group. “Wai Lin Htet mistreated people in his community and worked with Pyu Saw Htee members to intimidate and forcibly conscript civilians,” the resistance member told Myanmar Now. He added that the arrest appeared to be driven less by the candidate’s political role and more by long-standing grievances over his alleged behavior in the community.Myanmar Now has attempted to reach the resistance group responsible for the arrest, but has not made contact by time of publishing. The resistance forces declared October 28 to December 31 as a period of protest against the heavily criticised election, vowing to take all possible actions to prevent it. The National Unity Government (NUG)’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration announced on November 6 that individuals may report any threats or coercion to participate in the sham election. The arrest of Wai Lin Htet has become a stark illustration of the volatile terrain surrounding the junta’s proposed election—an environment defined by mistrust, political unrest and a simmering conflict.

SNDP candidate arrested in Pakokku as disputed election nears

Case adds to more than 100 election-related arrests as the junta pushes ahead with a widely dismissed vote

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