On February 25th, the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) a Central Executive Meeting was held in Kyaukphyu, and 31 party members from 10 township expressed the general view that, the ALD should not contest the upcoming elections,and that the party should not be registered, according to ALD spokesperson U Myat Tun.
U Myat Tun elaborated, “The upcoming election will be held under the leadership of the dictator, and the party cannot be a pillar of the dictator. We cannot allow the public to become suspicious and lose faith in us”.
“The main agenda of the meeting held at the Seri Hotel in Kyaukphyu, was to discuss whether the party should compete in the upcoming election, and whether the party should be registered. The decision of the Central Committee meeting will come out separately later. The party’s decision emerged spontaneously from the 31 party members representing 10 townships during the meeting, but it has not yet been formally decided.The party members of every township have given their opinion not to compete in the election and not to register the party”, U Myat Tun said.
On January 26th, the Military Council announced a new law for the registration of political parties. The Election Commission also invited political parties to register in accordance with the provisions of the new law. Parties that do not register with the Election Commission within the next 60 days from January 31 st , will automatically dissolve as political parties.
Of the more than 90 parties in Myanmar, only four have been able to register, and none of the political parties in Rakhine State have registered yet.
In Rakhine State, there are also Arakan National Party (ANP) and Arakan Front Party (AFP), which can be considered as prominent political parties.
ANP has requested the township and central level committees to respond to their opinions by February 28 th , on whether to re-register according to the new party re- registration guidelines issued by the Military Council. (https://tinyurl.com/4suaer58)
On the other hand, AFP Chairman Doctor Aye Maung already confirmed to Narinjarathat his party will contest the upcoming election, because he strongly believes that it will be a way out of the current political crises.
