Narinjara, February 27/2023

On February 25th, the Arakan League for Democracy(ALD) a Central Executive Meeting was held in Kyaukphyu, and 31 party membersfrom 10 township expressed the general view that, the ALD should not contestthe upcoming elections,and that the party should not be registered, accordingto ALD spokesperson U Myat Tun.

U Myat Tun elaborated, “The upcoming election willbe held under the leadership of the dictator, and the party cannot be a pillarof the dictator. We cannot allow the public to become suspicious and lose faithin us”.

“The main agenda of the meeting held at the SeriHotel in Kyaukphyu, was to discuss whether the party should compete in theupcoming election, and whether the party should be registered. The decision ofthe Central Committee meeting will come out separately later. The party’sdecision emerged spontaneously from the 31 party members representing 10 townshipsduring the meeting, but it has not yet been formally decided.The party membersof every township have given their opinion not to compete in the election andnot to register the party”, U Myat Tun said.

On January 26th, the Military Council announced anew law for the registration of political parties. The Election Commission alsoinvited political parties to register in accordance with the provisions of thenew law. Parties that do not register with the Election Commission within thenext 60 days from January 31 st , will automatically dissolve as politicalparties.

Of the more than 90 parties in Myanmar, only fourhave been able to register, and none of the political parties in Rakhine Statehave registered yet.

In Rakhine State, there are also Arakan NationalParty (ANP) and Arakan Front Party (AFP), which can be considered as prominentpolitical parties.

ANP has requested the township and central levelcommittees to respond to their opinions by February 28 th , on whether tore-register according to the new party re- registration guidelines issued bythe Military Council. (https://tinyurl.com/4suaer58)

On the other hand, AFP Chairman Doctor Aye Maungalready confirmed to Narinjarathat his party will contest the upcomingelection, because he strongly believes that it will be a way out of the currentpolitical crises.