U Aye Kyaw, the Vice President of the ALD, told Narinjara that his party has proposed the joining of their parties to the RNDP writing a letter on 15th of September.

“Arakanese people do not like having two political parties and they have been urging us to join into one ever since we applied for re-registration as a political party. They have also questioned us which one they have to call as their father if there will be two political parties. We have also no desire to create two fathers for our Arakanese people and have officially proposed to the RNDP for the joining of our parties”, said U Aye Kyaw.

U Aung Mra Kyaw, a lawmaker of the State Parliament from the RNDP in Sittwe, also confirmed the ALD’s proposal. He however said its proposal letter lacks official norms.

“The ALD’s proposal letter we have received bears only the signature of Vice-President U Kyaw Aye and there is no official seal and letter head of the party in the letter”, said U Aung Mra Kyaw.

When asking about the matter, U Aye Kyaw said they have already sent another letter with their official seal and letterhead to the RNDP after noticing the lack of official norms in their first letter.

U Aung Mra Kyaw said the RNDP has already made policies in order to band together with the ALD and welcomed the ALD’s proposal.

“Our party has the policy and has also formed a coordinating committee for joining together with other Arakanese political parties. We have to make some decisions among our party’s committee members and will hold official negotiations with the ALD”, he said.

There are different policies and objectives between their two parties. U Aye Kyaw however said they would find solutions for their differences through negotiations and compromise.

“We will find solutions for our differences after holding negotiations between us. For example, the RNDP does not use the English term ‘Arakan’for ‘Rakhine’ and there is no policy of federalism in its policies. But we can review our respective policies and objectives together through negotiations”, he said.

When asked his opinion on joining of two leading Arakanese political parties, U Khine San Lunn who is the former general secretary of the ALD-exile said as follows.

“I am very glad to hear that the two leading political parties in Arakan State—the ALD and the RNDP—will coalesce into one party. The RNDP has now taken a leading position among the Arakanese people for democracy and political affairs in Arakan State while the ALD is also a leading Arakanese political party that won a third of the votes in the 1990’s elections. If they join together into a single political party, they will be able to organize the Arakanese people automatically for their votes in the coming elections in 2015 and also be able to ensure self-government in Arakan State”, said U Khine San Lunn.

Ko Tun Zaw, the general secretary of the All Arakan Student and Youth Congress, also said they will become the only major political force for Arakanese people if the two parties coalesce into one in recognitions of each other experiences.

“Both ALD and RNDP are working for the Arakanese people amidst many difficulties under the 2008 constitution. I think it is the best if they coalesce into one. They have now their own experiences in 1990 and the 2010 election. If they join together in recognitions of each other experiences, they will emerge as a major political force that represents the whole Arakanese people”, said Ko Tun Zaw.

The RNDP won the most votes in 2010’s elections and so was the ALD in 1990’s elections in Arakan State. According to the sources, the Arakanese people are now wishing to coalescence their two leading political parties into a single party.