Thursday, 11 November 2010
New Delhi (Mizzima) – The main ethnic Arakanese party is seeking an alliance with other parties’ MPs to counter the influence of lawmakers from the military and the largest junta-backed party over the Arakan State Assembly, the party’s chairman says.
The Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) is apparently trying to build on its modest success of winning 18 out of 47 seats in the state parliament by creating a bloc of MPs that will include the junta-supported National Unity Party (NUP).
“We can’t influence the Arakan State Assembly with only 18 MPs so we’ll form an alliance with other parties to make our voices heard. We will also make an alliance with the National Unity Party (NUP), which has won [seats] in the state’s south,” RNDP chairman Dr. Aye Maung told Mizzima.
According to the Burmese military junta’s controversial constitution, 11 or 12 assembly seats have been set aside for the military.
Mizzima contacted the Arakan State’s Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) office seeking its tally of election results but staff refused its request.
The RNDP said it would urge the provincial government to revoke unfair laws and control tax rates. “Unfair laws need to be revoked for the sake of our people,” Dr. Aye Maung said.
Eighteen of the RNDP’s 23 candidates vying for States and Divisions Assembly seats won; seven of eight who stood for National Assembly seats also succeeded; nine of 12 secured seats in the People’s Assembly and one candidate attained a seat set aside for ethnic minorities, he said.
Among the nearly 10 parties that stood for election in the state, the junta-backed USDP and National Unity Party (NUP) gained successes in the eight townships of the state’s south and the RNDP prevailed in nine townships in its north.
Mizzima also tried in vain to contact the state office of the Union Election Commission for detailed results.
Six candidates from another Arakanese ethnic party, the Rakhine State National Force of Myanmar, stood for the parliamentary seats, but none succeeded.
Also, six candidates of the Kaman National Progressive Party lost in Sittwe, Thandway and Ramree townships, party chairman Zaw Win said.
The National Democratic Party for Development (NDPD) was defeated in the seats it contested by the USDP, its vice-chairman Hla Thein told Mizzima.
Mizzima was unable to contact the National Unity Party (NUP), which contested 32 seats in Arakan State, the Mro (or) Khami National Solidarity Organisation or other parties that stood for election to the state’s assembly.
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