Looking to get party’s house in order, ANP to hold emergency conference 

By DMG 21 May 2022

DMG Newsroom
21 May 2022, Sittwe 

The Arakan National Party (ANP) will hold an emergency conference to find solutions to its internal troubles, with the party forming a committee on May 18 to prepare for the gathering. 

The preparation committee was formed of nine members, and is tasked with conducting a review of the party and submitting a report on its findings to the ANP’s Central Executive Committee within three months. 

The chairman of the preparation committee, U Ko Che, said the decision to hold an emergency conference was intended to work out solutions for difficulties facing the party, and to give a stronger voice to the people. 

“We have not yet chosen the venue for the conference,” he added. “The preparation committee will assess the structure and weaknesses of the party within three months and report to the Central Executive Committee when the conference is held. We have difficulties. There have been a lot of changes within the party. And we want to engage in more public welfare works.” 

The ANP leadership held a meeting in Gwa on May 12-13 to address reforming and recruiting to the party, as well as discussing future plans. It was at the two-day meeting earlier this month that the decision to convene an emergency conference was made. 

The ANP needs to adjust its policies, many of which were adopted long ago, said U Ko Che, who believes reform is necessary and will help revitalise the party. 

“As our party represents the Arakanese people, we are trying hard to solve their problems. I hope the pending party conference will turn us into a powerful party that can serve the interests of Arakanese people,” said U Ko Che. 

The ANP was formed in 2014 and is widely considered to be the most powerful Arakanese political party, after winning the most seats in Arakan State in Myanmar’s past two general elections. 

But the party has struggled to navigate the political terrain of post-coup Myanmar, and its leadership ranks have been thinned as a result.  

In the weeks following the February 1, 2021, military takeover, the ANP was criticised over its decision to work with the junta, with one of the party’s senior members taking a seat on the junta’s State Administration Council (SAC). Multiple party members tendered their resignations in protest of its cooperation with the military government, which the party eventually walked back.