The army welcomed the request sent by the Arakan Army (AA) to the union government and army to hold by-election in the areas where the election didn’t take place in 2020 general election in Rakhine State and it will negotiate as much as it can to hold by-election in the places where the election didn’t hold, announced the army.

On November 12, the AA urged the army to stop military operations in Rakhine State to announce nationwide ceasefire and to cooperate with the government led by National League for Democracy (NLD) to hold by-election. They said they have desired to assist the government and respective organizations to create a situation to hold a by-election. The 2020 election result is out and most of the townships in Rakhine State were not able to hold an election. People in the state lost their rights to cast votes as well as their chances of citizen rights, ethnic rights and democracy rights. They urged the union government and army to hold by-election in townships where the election didn’t hold before December 31.

The army said it was desired to be a free and fair election and to give a special consideration for eligible voters to cast a vote in the 2020 multi-party democracy general election and it welcomed the request of ULA/AA to hold a by-election.

Statements on halting the military operations were issued in September and October 2020, and the Tatmadaw ceased its operations till the end of November 2020 for the successful holding of the 2020 multi-party democracy general election, the effectiveness of COVID-19 prevention and containment undertakings, and the effective and successful realization of the Part 3 of the Union Accord.

Moreover, the army announced the remarks on EAOs in relation to the election on November 2 and the founding of the Peace Talks Committee of the Tatmadaw in order to continue talks with the ethnic armed organizations if necessary for successfully restoring the eternal peace till the end of the process, it said.

Similarly, the army urged the respective organizations to hold a by-election in Mongkung, Shan State.

Khin Saw Wai from Arakan National Party (ANP) wrote in her Facebook account that she welcomed the army announcement.