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| Arakan National Party campaign in 2015 national election |
Sittway.
My 12, 2020( Opinion: Arakan Information Centre - AIC )
Sequence
of systematic crackdowns, intimidations, harassments, arrests, draconian law
suits over the members of Arakan National Party (ANP) is raised
higher concern among the people and leaders whether NLD government and Tatmadaw
are co opting to either dissolve the party or marginalize it from 2020 national
election.
ANP
won majority parliamentary seats in Rakhine State and third largest seats in
the national parliament in 2015 election. But the party was not allowed to form
the state government. Instead, NLD picked its member for the chief minister and
formed the local government without people support.
DR.
Aye Maung, popular and one of the key political figures, was charged with high
treason and sentenced for lengthy imprisonment for his political speech that
Myanmar government viewed motivating nationalism.
After
Arakan Army has been emerging armed struggle for greater autonomy since 2018
and Tatmadaw is responding with aggressive counter military offensives and
targeting civilians, the conflict in Rakhine state is widen to political
confrontation.
For
worse, NLD government is overtly relax. But it is covertly allowing police and
courts to arrest and charge ANP members with unlawful association acts and
terrorist laws.
Tatmadaw
prosecuted a lawmaker from Buthedaung township in March for his media interview
and telling the shells fired from the Tatmadaw landed in a village and injured
civilians. The charges are still pending.
Tatmadaw
ran TV Myawaddy publically denounced and threatened Rakhine lawmakers of ANP,
who provided evidences and witness accounts of Kyauk Seik incident to media,
where 8 villagers were skilled and 14 civilians injured in April.
In
May first week, police arrested and charged some ANP members in Tungup township
with unlawful association acts. They were released by the court but immediately
recharged with terrorist laws in this week.
Police
arrested ANP’s chairman of Toungup township and sympathizers of the township
municipal chairman and former chairman. They are charged with terrorist laws on
May 11.
These
arrests and charges made on the ANP members after there were news came out of
Toungup that AA members treated NLD members in the township.
There
are also a number of untold cases of harassing ANP members in Kyuakphu and Ann
townships as well.
All
of these harassments and intimidations over the ANP members are indicting
National Election Commission may take further severe actions against the party
including disqualification of election and outlawing it.
NLD
perceives ANP is as a great threat in 2020 election in Rakhine State. Tatmadaw
on its military point of view feels ANP is the friend of enemy.
Both
the NLD government and Tatmadaw are in the same page of domination and
subversion of central power, and ANP in their eyes is dragging leg.
Without the ANP they think is unchallenged power in Rakhine.
Analysts
are concerned draconian laws against the civilians and the legally registered
political party is only pushing the people more support of AA. Furthermore, it
is gravitating toward full civil war and dangerous.
Historically,
Rakhine people are politically mature and actively participated in elections in
the past and at the present times, and this kind of non-violent political
motivation should be encouraged.
History
speaks.
During
the newly independent nation and parliamentary democracy era in 1950s, Rakhine
ethnic people voted for their national party instead of the mainland based
central Burman dominated party. Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League (AFPFL)
led by U Nu competed against Independent Arakanese Parliamentary Group (AIGP)
and later emerged to Arakan National United Organization (ANUO) in 2951
election. But the result was fatally suffering to the AFPLF.
But
after AFPLF refused to give statehood and Rakhine leaders actively taking parts
with Shan and Mon for greater autonomy movements for numbers of reasons and
facts they joined hands with the ethic people and unitedly calling for
federation, General Ne Win responded it with the military coup.
After
General Ne Win took over the power and restored one party system under Burmese
Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) in 1960s and approved Arakan Division to the
statehood, Arakan people were calm and participating in single party
elections.
At
this the current democracy transition struggle, people still vote for the
national party, and it is history fact that they want home rule. And, the
majority people dismay marginalization.
Both
Tatmadaw and NLD should consider another alternative for dialogue and peaceful
solution on Rakhine conflicts instead of marginalization of ANP and harsh
oppression on the people.
Myanmar
cannot afford another full civil war while facing international pressure, ICJ
law suit, and incoming war crimes law suits.
Might
is not answer for Rakhine conflict but wise and brave heart will reconcile
between politically distancing people.
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