Vox Pop: Dissolved political parties see roles still to play

By Admin 26 Apr 2023

DMG Newsroom
26 April 2023, Sittwe

Six political parties in Arakan State have registered to contest the junta-proposed election, while the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), Daingnet National Development Party (DNDP) and Kaman National Development Party (KNDP) were dissolved last month as they failed to register with the junta’s Union Election Commission (UEC) as required under the new Political Parties Registration Law.

Officials from the ALD, DNDP and KNDP recently talked to DMG about their plans for the future.

 U Myat Tun || Arakan League for Democracy

Even the Constitution is against dictatorship. We view the military as dictators after they seized power in a coup on February 1, 2021. It seized power by force. We have said in previous interviews that we would not cooperate with any dictator. The regime announced on March 28 that our party was dissolved. A total of 40 parties were dissolved.

We have no comment about it. Our party was also dissolved once in 1990. Despite the dissolution, party members can continue to work in their respective townships. So, we don’t need to be afraid and we don’t need to be upset. They are dictators, so they do as they please.

We will work for the education and social welfare of Arakanese people and help the people affected by fighting and natural disasters. The military regime never gave us rights as a political party, so it will not make much difference after our party is dissolved.

U Aung Kyaw Zaw || Daingnet National Development Party

I feel sorry that our party has been dissolved. We could do nothing because they have the power. Though our party is dissolved, we will continue to do what we can for the interests of our people. We will try to make the voices of Daingnet people heard when they face oppression and hardships.

We never had rights as a political party, except that we could issue statements. We can’t issue statements now because our party is dissolved. This is the only difference.

U Tin Ngwe || Kaman National Development Party

As for the political sector, it would be best if all could work together. However, the new law poses a serious challenge for our party to survive. I feel sorry that not all the tribes can contest the election because of the law.

We will do what we can in cooperation with other tribes for the rights and interests of our tribe, and for the interests of Arakan State. As we are an ethnic minority party, we did not get any significant rights as a party. We could only present challenges facing our tribes. That was all. Though our party no longer exists now, we will continue to make sure the voices of our Kaman people are heard. We plan to work as a civil society organisation for our people.