UEC cancels voting in 10 AA-held townships in Arakan State

By Admin 15 Sep 2025

DMG Newsroom

15 September 2025, Mrauk-U

The junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) announced on September 14 that elections will not be held for any Pyithu Hluttaw, Amyotha Hluttaw or State Hluttaw constituencies in 10 Arakan State townships that were lost to the Arakan Army (AA).

The townships that will not hold junta-organised elections are Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Pauktaw, Myebon, and Ramree.

The UEC statement appears to imply that elections are still planned to be held in three townships: Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung. The Arakan Army also occupies Ann, Taungup, Thandwe, and Gwa townships, and the military regime has not yet announced whether there are plans to hold elections in these townships.

The uncertain election status of the four AA-controlled townships has led to speculation that the regime may look to retake control of Ann, Taungup, Thandwe, and Gwa ahead of the election A young Arakanese man who studies election politics said the races that are held in Arakan State will be interesting to watch, given that the military regime only controls the urban areas in Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung townships.

"Looking at the UEC statement, it seems that the military regime has completely abandoned all 10 townships for the election," he said. "However, the military regime will make the election inevitable in the three townships still under its control in Arakan State. It will be interesting to see how the elections will be held in the three townships of Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung. The military regime may have deep wisdom in convening the state level parliament."

In total, the Arakan Army has occupied and controls 14 of Arakan State's 17 townships, and has made clear that it will not allow elections to be held in the areas it controls.

"The military regime seems to think that the townships that are now being excluded [Ann, Taungup, Thandwe, and Gwa] are in the southern part of Arakan State, so national sentiment is weak and there will be support for the junta-planned election," said a former member of the Arakan State parliament. "Since the Arakan Army has said that it will not accept junta-sponsored elections in areas under its control, elections can be held in Sittwe, Kyaukphyu and Manaung, but the remaining four townships can be targeted at Arakanese people in mainland Myanmar."

According to the UEC statement, there are so far 56 townships nationwide where elections cannot be held.

The military regime has announced that "phase 1" of the election will be held in Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, and Manaung, the three townships it still controls in Arakan State.

Locals say that people in Arakan State townships under regime control are generally uninterested in the upcoming election, and are more focused on day-to-day livelihood issues.

A young social activist from Rathedaung Township told DMG, "I don't see any change in Myanmar from this election. But I see this election as a cover-up for the military dictatorship to cover up the crimes they have committed. What is more, I see it as an opportunity for the military regime to commit further human rights violations."

The UEC has allowed six political parties claiming to represent the people of Arakan State to compete in the elections. They are the Rakhine Nationalities Party (RNP); Arakan Front Party (AFP); Rakhine State National Unity Party (RSUNP); Khami National Development Party; Mro National Party; and Mro National Development Party (MNDP).

The military regime has announced that phase 1 of the elections will be held in 102 townships in December, and has enacted a law that could punish those who disrupt the elections with imprisonment or even the death penalty.