The Arakan Army says it will release the detained NLD candidates quickly, “if the NLD-led government releases detained politicians, innocent Arakan people and student protestors for peace unconditionally,” in their October 19th statement.

 The United League of Arakan (ULA) and their armed wing the Arakan Army (AA) admitted their group had abducted the NLD’s candidates registered to compete in the November election in Taunggup Township in Arakan State.

 The AA detained “U Min Aung, Daw Ni Ni May Myint and Daw Chit Chit Chaw from the Taunggup National League for Democracy (NLD) in the interest of the Arakan revolution.”

Three detained NLD candidates are: Arakan State parliamentary candidate U Min Aung, Lower House candidate Daw Ni Ni May Myint and Upper House candidate Daw Chit Chit Chaw.

 They were abducted by an armed group while on a canvassing trip on their way to Phaungkhar village in Taunggup Township on October 14th.

In the past the AA has detained and interrogated some NLD lawmakers” who disrupted the Arakan revaluation and released them under a suitable circumstance” the statement says.  

 The AA has been sticking to the plan to exchange war victims.  There is an urgent need for the NLD-led government to help the war-affected public and urgently solve military and political problems.

 On 3 November 3, 2019, the AA detained upper house MP U Hawi Tin from the NLD in Chin State while traveling from Paletwa Township to Kyautaw Township, to attend the parliamentary session in Nay Pyi Taw. He was later released on 21st January in 2020.