The Arakan State Parliament is set to resume on the 24th of September, and is expected to answer over 100 questions concerning regional said parliamentarians.
The parliament is said to have already received over 100 questions regarding current regional issues from its respective lawmakers, though it has mainly been called in order to discuss the matter of the state budget.
“When we asked questions before, it used to discard our questions for the reason that the regional level parliament did not have enough authority to answer such questions and only union level parliaments could answer those questions. The parliamentarians here are worrying that the parliament will do the same in this session as well”, said U Aung Mra Kyaw, the regional parliamentarian who represents Sittwe Township.
The questions are said to be mostly about the recent violence that occurred across Arakan State while the other questions relating to security, forcible land confiscations, damages of roads and bridges and various problems currently being faced by the people in the region are also included.
“The lawmakers have to submit the respective questions they would like to ask to the parliament in advance. I think most of the questions will be about recent violence in our region and other questions relating to security, education and economy, etc will be also asked”, said U Aung Mra Kyaw.
Arakan State has been long affected by an almost constant economic crisis and has been suffering from extreme poverty. Jobless rates are increasing in the region as well. In some situations, farmers are still unable to cultivate their land and fishermen cannot set out to the sea because of security fears due to recent violent unrest and instability in the region.
The markets that occupy the pivotal role in Arakan’s economy are yet to run regularly since violence occurred in the region.
Now filled with uncertainties, the region as a whole is experiencing many inconveniences and great difficulties. The Arakanese people however said they have no expectation at all that their regional parliament will do something to improve the current situation they are facing in the region.
So, they said they have no special interest in the regional parliament scheduled to convene this coming September 24.
