Permission granted to Mro Ethnic Development Party for registration

The military council-controlled Union Election Commission (UEC) has permitted the Myo Ethnic Development Party (MEDP), a tribal political entity from Rakhine State, for  registration as a political party.

The UEC has approved the party on Monday to register, stated an announcement published in the junta run media outlets.

MEDP, which opened the headquarter in Kyauk Taw town, was approved in accordance with section 9 of the political parties' registration law.

The party was renamed in 1988 from Mro (alias) Khami National Unity Organization to MEDP.

It was established on 22 December 1990 and contested the national elections in 4 seats and won 1 (in Kyauk Taw township). In 2014, the name of the party was changed to the MEDP.

Among the parties which applied for registration in Rakhine State include Khami National Development Party (registered on 5 May),  Mro Ethnic Party (registered on 4 May), Rakhine Forward Party (led by Dr Aye Maung) and Rakhine State National Power Party (registered on 2 May).

Among the Rakhine political parties which applied for registration with the UEC only the Arakan National Party (a powerful party in Rakhine) is waiting for the permission.

Mentionable is that Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), Kaman National Progressive Party (KNPP) and  Danet People's Progressive Party (DNDP) from Rakhine State did not apply for the registration.

After the UEC released the new registration guidelines on 26 January, the political parties were asked to apply for registration under the new law.

It also added that the parties which do not register with the UEC within 60 days from 31 January will be automatically dismantled.

On 28 March, the UEC revealed that over 60 political parties applied for registration paving the way for contesting the forthcoming military council polls. As more as 40 parties, including the National
League for Democracy (led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) did not apply within the specified time and those were dissolved accordingly.