An interview with U Thar Tun Hla, Chair of Arakan National Party (ANP)
The National League for Democracy (NLD) which secured a landslide victory in the recent election has invited ethnic parties to provide cooperation in building up a federal democratic union.
But among many questions that arise is whether the NLD for its part will allow ethnic parties to appoint their own leaders to become regional heads and ministers of their respective states to replace the current system of all appointments controlled by the President?
Here is the interview with U Thar Tun Hla, Chair of Arakan National Party (ANP) which secured the majority seats in Arakan State, about the views.
Q: Now the ANP has secured the majority seats in the elections in Arakan State, what is your position on the appointment of Arakan State Chief Minister in the tenure of the new government?
A: It will depend on the political transition in the post-election period. The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) has invited the ethnic parties to cooperate in building up a federal democratic union. It will mainly depend on the NLD’s stand towards the ethnic parties. It is possible that the NLD’s attitude towards ethnic parties has changed. The NLD’s engagement with ethnic parties has been weak. It is assumed that there will be a change to Myanmar’s political landscape in the post-election period, as the NLD reviews its relations with ethnic parties. If the situation is different from that in 2015, ethnic parties may get the post of Chief Minister. Only top leaders of the NLD know who will become the Chief Ministers. Like 2015, the President may choose the chief ministers.
Q: Does the ANP have a plan to ask for the appointment of the Chief Minister?
A: We are still conducting a review of political and parliamentary landscapes and the NLD’s political policy. The NLD’s spokesperson talks about a National Unity Government. The blue- print for the formation of a National Unity Government has yet to come out. Now it is too early to say. We don’t exactly know the views of the NLD’s officials on the ANP yet. We can only give a comment when the NLD has clarified its stance. It all depends on the political landscapes in the post-election period.
Q: Why did the majority of the Arakan people cast their votes for the Arakan party? What is your assessment?
A: Our party is working on party politics with the aim of ensuring the emergence of a genuine federal union and self-determination. I would like to urge the voters to cooperate in ensuring self-determination and ethnic quality.
