President U Win Myint has called on relevant officials to cooperate quickly to hold the election in the canceled constituencies in Arakan State, in his message sent to the ceremony to mark the Arakan State Day which falls on December 15th.

The elections were canceled entirely in Pauktaw, Ponnagyun, Yathaedaung, Butheadaung, Maungdaw, Kyuaktaw, Minbya, Myaebon and MraukU Township and partly in some constituencies in the other townships.

The President also requested the relevant persons and organizations to restore a peaceful and stable situation there, in order to quickly hold a free and fair election.

The President said he is especially upset for all people in the canceled constituencies in Arakan State as the elections were canceled, citing that these constituencies were not in a position to hold a free and fair election.

Several Arakan parties disputed UEC’s sweeping cancellation as going far beyond legitimate security concerns, and independent election monitors also considered that many more constituencies could have held elections on November 18th.

Military Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing also sent a message to the ceremony to mark the 46th Arakan State Day. In his message, he said the Tatmadaw welcomed the ULA/AA’s statement over the demand for holding the elections in some canceled constituencies in Arakan State in the 2020 General Elections before December 31, 2020. The Tatmadaw has already announced that it would cooperate.

In the military chief’s message, he did not use the Arakan National League (ULA)/Arakan Army (AA) as a terrorist organization.

There are 1,649,753 eligible voters in Arakan State in the 2020 General Elections. A total of 1,200,901 lost their voting rights due to the cancellation of the election in Arakan State.