Some members of the Arakan National Party (ANP) have resigned after a top leader from the ANP takes the post of the State Administration Council  (SAC) formed by the army, according to the officials of the party.

The State Administration Council (SAC) appointed the ANP’s spokesperson Daw Aye Nu Sein as a member of the SAC. On February 23rd, the SAC also appointed former Yangon Region Arakan Affairs Minister U Zaw Aye Maung from the ANP as the Deputy Minister for Ethnic Affairs Minister, according to the army-owned Myawady TV.

A CEC member who resigned wrote to the party “I am clear that cooperation with the State Administration Council goes against the party’s policy. That is why, I submit my resignation letter, as I no longer want to work with the party.”

This collaboration with the military regime has been attacked by almost 50 Rakhine civil society groups who condemned two ANP appointments to the new regime. Youth members of the ANP quit the party in protest, and some more established party members expressed their dissatisfaction on social media. Currently, four ANP members have submitted their resignation letters.

There has been deep animosity towards NLD governance in Rakhine State which resulted in the AKP winning far more seats than the NLD during the 2020 election, despite massive disenfranchisement of voters, and the cancellation of the election in many townships.

U Pe Than, a member of the policy affairs leading committee of the ANP said: “The reason why members submit their resignation letters is they are not satisfied with the party’s work. In the four resignation letters they wrote that they no longer want to be involved in the party.”

The ANP’s CEC will monitor whether the inclusion of Daw Aye Nu Sein in the SAC can serve the interests of Arakanese people.