USDP courts voters in southern Arakan State

By Admin 13 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
13 March 2023, Sittwe

The military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is canvassing support in southern Arakan State, where the politically persecuted National League for Democracy (NLD) once enjoyed popularity.

USDP chairman U Khin Yi and Arakan State USDP chapter chairman Dr. San Shwe met 80 USDP members from seven townships including Kyaukphyu, Thandwe, Ann and Taungup at the party office in Thandwe on Saturday.

The USDP is taking advantage of the collapse of the NLD — which has been outlawed by Myanmar’s military regime — by soliciting support in places where the NLD enjoyed popularity, said political analyst U Than Soe Naing.

“The regime is planning to hold an election, and it will try to retain power through the USDP. The NLD can do nothing in places where it was once popular. The USDP will offer development incentives in those places to solicit support. They will try by various means to win votes,” said U Than Soe Naing.

According to the Facebook page of the USDP’s Arakan State chapter, USDP chair Khin Yi, a former brigadier-general, talked about the alleged electoral fraud in Myanmar’s 2020 general election, which independent poll monitors have dismissed as fanciful claims.

Dr. San Shwe declined to comment when asked by DMG.

In the previous two general elections, the NLD won in the southern Arakan State townships of Thandwe, Taungup and Gwa.

The USDP may struggle to win support in southern Arakan State except from military supporters, according to veteran Arakanese politician U Pe Than.

“In the absence of the NLD, the military-backed party will take advantage and solicit public support. But the majority of the people in Arakan State have no interest in elections. People are more interested in armed struggle than party politics. Even if the election takes place, people will not have interest in the USDP,” said U Pe Than.

The USDP was the first to re-register with the junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) as required under the new Political Parties Registration Law. In December, USDP officials sought to explain the proportional representation electoral system and the party’s future plans to party members in some Arakan State townships.

The USDP won a seat in the Lower House and a seat in the Arakan State Parliament in the 2020 general election in Ann Township, where the military’s Western Command is headquartered.

The Arakan Front Party (AFP) led by Dr. Aye Maung has also re-registered with the UEC, and the Arakan National Party (ANP) is also likely to re-register. The Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), however, has said it will not contest the poll.

Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup in February 2021, alleging that the 2020 general election in which the NLD won landslide victory was marred by fraud. It has promised a new election, in which the regime is planning to replace the first-past-the-post electoral system with one based on proportional representation.