Arakan National Party (ANP) has really expected elections will surely be held in the constituencies of Rakhine State where the November 8 election could not take place, said party spokesperson Aye Nu Sein.

The Myanmar military and Arakan Army alike issued their positive statements on November 12 calling for holding elections in those cancelled constituencies in Rakhine State.

Meanwhile, Yohei Sasakawa, Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for National Reconciliation in Myanmar, is also brokering talks over the matter.   

“We have seen the statements of the Myanmar military and AA calling for holding elections in the places where the 2020 general election did not take place for security reasons. Moreover, we have dignitaries who are negotiating over this. So we are really expecting the election to be held in those places,” said APN spokesperson Aye Nu Sein. 

 She quoted the Rakhine State Election Sub-commission as saying that plans have been in place to hold the election in the state. The disclosure of such information to the media means that election will surely take place there, she added.

Yohei Sasakawa made a tour of Rakhine State on November 8 and also met with officials from ANP.

“By visiting the places where the election could not take place, he listened to the voice of local people and witnessed the prevailing conditions. Those places are in a position to hold the election. As the leader of the election monitoring commission, the special envoy will report his opinions to the Japanese government, I think,” she said.

When it comes to the Japanese assistance to Myanmar, Nippon Foundation has built over 100 primary schools in Rakhine State. Yohei Sasakawa has also promised to provide food to the people displaced by the war in Rakhine State, Aye Nu Sein said.

She said her party also requested for Japanese help for the Rakhine State development and jobs and technologies for the local youth.