Arakan State USDP starts to prepare for proposed 2023 election

By DMG 14 Dec 2022

DMG Newsroom
14 December 2022, Sittwe

The military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in Arakan State has begun preparing for a new general election, which the military regime plans to hold next year.

USDP members have met in some townships while other parties are still largely inactive.

According to chairman Dr. San Shwe of the USDP’s Arakan State chapter, the party is explaining the proportional representation (PR) electoral system and its plans to the party members. The new Union Election Commission formed by the regime has signalled that PR would replace the current first-past-the-post electoral system in next year’s election.

“We explained instructions of the party headquarters, and party activities. We explained to them about PR. And party members will explain PR to the voters,” said Dr. San Shwe.

Party leaders have met members in Thandwe, Manaung, Sittwe, Maungdaw, and Kyaukphyu since early December.

“We explained to them about the types of PR, such as open PR and closed PR. We still don’t know when the election will be held. For now, we only know that PR will be exercised in the proposed election,” he said.

In the 2020 general election, the USDP won two seats — one for the Lower House and another for the Arakan State Parliament — in Ann Township, the headquarters of the Myanmar military’s Western Command.

A resident of Minbya Township said he had no interest in the junta’s proposed election, and had no trust in political parties.

“Parties that contested in previous elections said they ran for the cause of nationalism. But many of them sought self-interests through their parties. There is no need to hold an election. Needless to say, the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army will do what needs to be done,” he said.

Whether an election can be held in Arakan State depends on the ULA/AA, said former Lower House lawmaker U Aung Thaung Shwe.

“Whatever the electoral system is, if an election is to be held in Arakan State, it can’t happen without the cooperation of Arakan people,” said the former MP. “Whether the proposed election can be held in Arakan mainly depends on the ULA/AA. People have taken up arms because an answer can’t be found through political means. No matter what system the regime practices, it will get it nowhere.”

It is unlikely that the regime can hold elections as planned due to armed conflicts across the country, political observers have said. The regime, they add, would nonetheless push for the election as a way out of the country’s ongoing political crisis.