Naypyidaw: Trial for nine Arakanese MPs from the Rakhine National Development Party, or RNDP, which won 34 seats in Arakan State in the 2010 election, resumed in the Nayipyidaw court that was formed by the Election Commission on 18 May, 2011.
The nine Arakanese MPs were charged with election fraud by their rival candidates from the government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party after the USDP candidates were defeated in the election.
The trial first started in Nayipyidaw in January of this year but was later postponed for the opening of the first parliament in more than 20 years.
U Pe Than, an elected MP from the people's parliament in Mray Bon Township, said, "The trial was resumed on 18 May and it is now going on. In the first three days, the judges scrutinized the complainants from the government party and witnesses about the case. The judges will examine us starting today."
The rival candidates from the government-backed USDP have charged the nine Arakanese elected MPs with many allegations, such as rigging ballots, organizing people to support the RNDP candidates with false accusations against the past military government and USDP, and illegally getting ballots with the cooperation of polling officers during the election.
"We strongly believe we will win in this lawsuit because we did not make any mistake during the election against the election law. The polling officers in the election are appointed by the government and they all are government officials. How could the polling officers take ballots for our benefit? The accusations by the USDP candidates are unacceptable," U Pe Than said.
The nine RNDP MPs who were charged are: U Own Tin, national parliament representative from Kyauk Pru, U Kyaw Lwin, state parliament representative in Kyauk Pru Township, U Kyaw Tun Aung, naitonal parliament representative in Pauk Taw, U Aung Kyaw Za, people's parliament representative in Pauk Taw Township, U Maung Kyaw Thein, representative from the state parliament in Pauk Taw Township, U Pe Than, people's parliament representative in Mray Bon Township, U Aung Win and U Maung Lone from the state parliament in Mray Bon, and U Hla Maung Thein, state parliament representative in Rathidaung Township.
Dr. Aye Maung, president of the RNDP, said, "The trial for our legislators will be completed this month and the verdict of the jury will come next month. As far as I know, the jury for their case is fair and just, so the verdict will be well for our candidates."
The RNDP won 34 seats in Arakan State in the election that was held on 7 November, 2010. Among those elected are the nine MPs facing charges from the government-backed USDP.
