U Thar TunHla

(Chairman:Arakan National Party/ANP)

NarinjaraNews, January  23, 2023

TheMilitary Council plans to stage an election in August this year. In Rakhine State,criticisms about the election are spreading. The Arakan National Party, won themost parliamentary seats in the 2015 and 2020 elections in Rakhine State. NarinjaraNews asked to party chairman U Thar Tun Hla to present the Arakan NationalParty’s (ANP) position on the 2023 election.

Narinjara: TheMilitary Council is preparing to hold elections this year. I would like to knowwhether or not the ANP party will participate in this election?

U Thar Tun Hla: Currently, thereis no discussion and decision in our partyregarding the election.

Narinjara:A top leader of the ANP party, U Ba Shein, hasbeen widely criticized for telling a media outlet that ANP will participate inthe election as a political party according to the Party Registration Act.  What do you think about what U Ba Shein said?

U Thar TunHla: The party’ s policy steering committee meeting has not yet discussed theelection. The party’s central executive committee meeting has not yet discussedthe election. So what U Ba Shein said on VOM is U Ba Shein’s personal opinion.It can be said that this is not the opinion of our party. I just want to saythat it is U Ba Shein’s personal opinion.

Narinjara:what is your view on the upcoming election of the Military Council?

U Thar TunHla: Considering the current conflict and situation in Myanmar, I would like tosay that in an election, it is an important aspect for voters to be able tovote safely and freely. At present people in Myanmar are hearing news every daythat people are fleeing from their villages. There are cases of death andinjury that we hear about every day. I see that the voters are living in astate of anxiety over the current situation in Myanmar. Therefore we considerpersonal safety and mental safety are weak. Based on the current situation inMyanmar, I would like to say we do not have an environment in which voters cancast their votes safely and freely.

Narinjara:There is a lot of criticism inside Myanmar, as well as the international communityabout the upcoming election. How do you assess the Rakhine people’s attitudetowards this election?

Thar TunHla: At present the fighting in Rakhine State has only a temporary cease-

fire. InRakhine, during the battle between the ULA/AA and the Myanmar military, none ofthe people who were arrested on suspicion have been released. Rakhine people havelittle interest in the current election, when prosecutions continue and somepeople who have fled the war, still cannot return to their villages and livenormal lives. I see the interest of voters in the election is declining.

Narinjara:How much do you think the 2023 election of the Military Council will affect thepolitical and military situation in the country?

U Thar TunHla: The political problem is that currently in Myanmar ethnic peoples have beendeprived of their rights to create their own destiny, and their rights toself-governance, and on the other hand, their human rights and democraticrights as citizens being taken away day by day. I would like to say that I donot see that the political problems happening in Myanmar, can be solved by justholding this election, because we lack the democratic standards for holdingelections.

Narinjara:So how do you think this country’s problem canbe solved?

U Thar TunHla: The solution to the political problem that Myanmar is currently facing isbroad and deep. It cannot be done in just one sitting. However if the main stakeholdershave the intention of solving it, it is necessary to reach a political agreement.  It is important to be able to establish andimplement processes based on any agreement reached. I would like to say thatthe political problems in Myanmar can only be solved by  reaching andimplementing a political consensus.

 Narinjara -Thank you for answering these questions.

U Thar TunHla - Thank you.