The Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) has elected its new central committee in its recent plenary meeting of central committee members.
The party is said to have elected a 15-member new central committee in the meeting that was held on 6 July in its head office in Sittwe. U Aye Thar Aung was elected as the President, U Saw Maung as the Secretary (1), U Thar Ban as the Patron, U Aye Kyaw as the Vice President and U Kyaw Myint as the Secretary (2), while U Shwe Ohn, Daw Tin Nyo Aung, U Myo Kyaw, U Tun Nyo, U Hla Maung, U Kyaw Tun Aung, U Kyaw Zaw Oo, U Saw Tun Sein (Pauktaw), U Maung Myint (Minbya) and U Khin Maung (Gwa) were elected for other positions in the central committee respectively.
“Our party’s policies are to work for establishing self-autonomy and a genuine federal union, and for ceasing the internal wars and bringing about peace in the ethic regions. Our new committee will strive for achieving those policies”, said U Aye Thar Aung, the newly elected party’s president.
He said his party will also work for the rights and affairs of farmers and workers with special priorities.
“We have plans especially to work for the rights and affairs of farmers and workers. Despite the nationalization of the farmlands, our party will endeavor to establish a farmers’ union so that we can work together with them for securing their rights to their lands. Similarly, we have also plans to work with the workers’ unions for their rights that are commensurable to the standards in the present age. We have other plans to work for those basic populations as well”, he said.
When asked about his party’s preparations for the election in 2015, U Aye Thar Aung said, “We have not made any decision yet if we will participate in the elections or not. When 2015 is coming near, we will hold a meeting of our central executive committee. And then we will be able to make public our decision.”
U Aye Thar Aung said his party is now planning to open branch offices in all 17 townships in Arakan State.
ALD decided to apply for re-registration as political party on 27th February after the U Thein Sein-led new regime was installed and submitted its application to the union election commission on 6th April 2012. The commission allowed it to establish a political party on 30th May 2012.
The party was founded on 27 September, 1989, in Yangon, and registered with the election commission organized by the then ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council on 2 October, 1989. It competed in the 1990 election and won 11 seats for Arakan State.
