Sittwe: A political party set up by former NLD members in Arakan State and favoured by the Burmese military junta has opened its main office in Sittwe, the state capital, to contest the 2010 elections, said a politician on condition of anonymity.
"The office was opened in Palok Taung Ward, located near the famous military-regime built Lawka Nanda pagoda in Sittwe, in the first week of March," he said.
The political party is named "Pyi Taung Su Myanmar Naingan Rakhaine Pyi Nay Amyo Thar Ink Ahr Su" in Burmese, which translates into English as "The Union of Myanmar's Arakan State Nationalist Force".
The president of the party is U Aye Kyin and the general secretary is U Myin Zaw. Both are former members of the National League for Democracy, which won 85 percent of the seats in Burma's 1990 elections.
"The office was opened in Sittwe after some former NLD leaders, including MPs of the 1990 election from Rangoon, came to Sittwe to form the party," said the politician.
According to a local source, the former NLD members from Rangoon met some local Arakanese leaders at Mayu restaurant in Sittwe on 15 February and briefed them on the party policy and formation.
At present in Sittwe there are over 100 members in the party and it has been distributing membership forms to residents in the city for further recruitment.
"The party has received many opportunities from the military authorities to carry out party activities. Recently party leaders went to some major Arakanese towns, including Kyauktaw, Mrauk U, and Minbya, to hold rallies with local Arakanese people," the politician said.
At the rallies the leaders urged and requested the Arakanese people to support the party in the forthcoming 2010 elections if they want equal rights and self-determination in Burma. They also said the party was formed for the national interests of the Arakanese.
Even though the United Nationalist Party, a pro-military government party that was formed by General Ne Win loyalists, is mobilizing people in Arakan to support them in the 2010 elections they have not received opportunities like the Pyi Taung Su Myanmar Naingan Rakhine Pyi Nay Amyo Thar Ink Ahr Su party has, the politician added.
