Ex-KIO vice chairman forms political party

Dr. Tu Ja

Dr. Tu Ja, the retired vice chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), formed a new party to contest 2015 elections. The Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP) will be registered with the election commission in the Kachin state capital of Myitkyina before the end of this week, said Tu Ja.

“Preparation to become a party is almost completed. Seventeen people have been included in the registration form. The party office will be open as soon as the registration has been approved.”

A long time senior figure in the KIO, Dr. Tu Ja and five other members resigned from the group in 2009 in order to form the Kachin State Progressive Party (KSPP) that was to contest the 2010 elections. However, he was barred from registering for the 2010 election as both a candidate for the KSPP and independently.

It’s believed because of Tu Ja’s previous affiliation with the KIO, which rejected the government led border guard force proposal, was one of the main reasons he was barred.

Tu Ja tried once again during the by-elections as a private candidate of Mogaung township in April 2012 but failed after voting in Kachin state was canceled by the government due to “security reasons”.

“We believe the party’s registration will be approved this time.  The commission rejected the Kachin party in 2010 but it won’t be repeated this time. As other ethnic parties were granted, they will grant us.”

The KSDP, which is comprised of mostly former members of the dissolved KSPP, will serve the Kachin people to campaign for public favored policies, Tu Ja said.

The party was formed after a series of public discussions in Myitkyina in July, he said.

Tu Ja was trained as a dentist before joining the KIO in the late 1960's.

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