Global Peace Centre

Ann: U Thein Swe, who is the current Minister of Transport, has become the first Burman national in the history of Burmese elections to be running in an Arakanese constituency by being a candidate of the Union Solidarity and Development Party in the election scheduled to be held on 7 November.

U Thein Swe is neither of Arakanese ethnicity nor is he a native resident of the state, but he will run as a candidate for a seat in the Pyidaung Suu Parliament in the Ann constituency in Arakan State. In the historical election records of Burma, there has never been an ethnic Burman running as an Arakanese candidate. 

Since Burma gained independence from Britain, there have been a few elections in Burma, with most held under the parliamentary government period from 1948 to 1962. One election was held in 1990 by the Burmese military junta, but no one of Burman ethnicity ran in any of the elections in an Arakan State constituency. 

U Mra Wa, an Arakanese living in exile in Bangladesh, said, "Many political parties led by Burman leaders contested in Arakan State in the past, but all the candidates were Arakanese, not Burman, because the leaders gave the chance to natives to run in the election. Minister Thein Swe is not a native of Arakan but he will contest in Arakan State in this election. It is a range for all." 

In the 1990 election, many political parties from Burma proper, including the National League for Democracy and National United Party, contested in Arakan State with candidates that were either ethnically Arakanese or Arakan natives. "This is the first time a Burman leader has contested in a constituency in Arakan State. Maybe he will be appointed as the Arakan State minister to rule Arakan under the military's new democracy. We should look at what will happen after the election," U Mra said. 

According to sources, the native political parties in Arakan State have not been able to put up a candidate in the Ann constituency for the coming election because the army authority in Ann has forced local people not to run for those parties. Ann is located in central Arakan where many military bases are stationed, including Western Command. 

In Ann Township, there are only two political parties - the USDP and NUP - that will run in the coming election for four seats in the upper and lower houses of the national parliament.