Five political parties have registered with the Election Commission since the electoral laws were announced by the junta authorities on 8 March, but there are no Arakanese political parties among them.
The five political parties that registered are the 88 Generation students Union of Myanmar, the Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics, the National Unity Party, the Democratic Party (Myanmar), and the Kayin People’s Party (KPP).
U Nyo, a politician from Sittwe said, "I heard some political parties would be formed very soon in Arakan State to register with the Election Commission, but none have registered yet."
The political parties that are now preparing to be set up officially in Arakan State are pro-military junta and have connections with government authorities.
"In the 1990 election, many independent political parties surfaced in Arakan State like the ALD, MKNSO, ANDP, KNLD and ADPHR, but in this year's election there have been no independent political parties in Arakan State. Politicians believe the election will not serve real and independent political parties in Burma and will only be useful for pro-junta political parties," U Nyo said.
In Arakan State some parties, including the Union of Myanmar National Political Forces - Rakhine State led by Aye Khying, and the USDA Rakhine State Party led by senior retired army officer Kyaw Zan Hla, are preparing to form political parties but these parties are close to the current military authorities.
Most political parties that registered in the 1990 election in Arakan State are planning to boycott the current election due to the unjust election laws and the 2008 constitution.
In the 1990 elections, over 20 political parties registered with the election commission as independent parties, but this year no more than five political parties in Arakan have registered.
"Everybody knows the election is created by the junta for the pro-junta parties to win and it is not an opportunity for political parties like the NLD and the ALD. So the politicians in Arakan State are unwilling to form political parties for the election because the election is useless for Burmese people and democracy," U Nyo concluded.
