Preparations for the first Arakan National Party (ANP) conference in Thandway schedule for the end of September 2014 are in full swing and the election process for forming of township committees is on the way.
More than 15 township committees across Arakan in western Burma have been formed as a result of duly-held elections, said U Kyaw San Hla, an ANP central committee member.
The ANP was formed by uniting two parties—the Arakan League for Democracy, which won the 1990 general elections in a landslide, and Rakhine National Development Party, which won many seats in the 2010 general elections.
Party elections have been concluded in the following townships: Sittwe, Rathe Daung, Maungdaw, Buthe Daung, Kyouktaw, Ponnagyun, Pauktaw, Mrouk Oo, Manaung, Myayboon, Ramree, Taungguop, Thandway, and Gwa. Two more townships—Min Bya and Kyouk Phyu—will conduct polls shortly.
“We managed to complete the electoral process in all these townships smoothly. This process is necessary to elect township committees for the ANP conference” added U Kyaw San Hla.
The first ANP conference will be attended by five-member groups from all the township committees. The chairman, vice-chairman, secretaries, and central executive committee members will be elected at the meeting.
U Kyaw San Hla claims that finishing the election of most township committees has generated support and affection among the Arakanese people for the ANP.