With regard to the Union Election Commission’s announcement that the 2020 election will not take place in the wards and village-tracts of nine townships in Rakhine State and some other townships, interviews were conducted with parliamentary candidates in Rakhine State and some political parties. The following is a collection of their opinions in the interviews.  

Daw Khin Saw Wai

Lower House candidate from Arakan National Party representing Yathedaung Township 

Yathedaung is a conflict area. Rumours have been spreading that Yathedaung could not be included. I have expected so. I also urged them to issue such a statement because we wanted to know if we had to continue or stop our election campaign. Now, nine townships will not be allowed at all to hold elections. In some places, one constituency each for state parliamentary seats will not be allowed. Some village-tracts are not allowed either. As per the election law, they can be suspended. I don’t want to say this. I see it is done in accord with the law. However, of the nine townships in Rakhine State, Pauktaw Township sees no fighting. Sittwe is allowed. I want to say that they need to tell in a transparent manner why Pauktaw Township has been on the list of abolished constituencies. Maungdaw is not a conflict area either. There are some clashes in Buthidaung. If they are willing, they can hold the election in Maungdaw as it has a little population. I want to demand the Union Election Commission clarify transparently why the election will not take place in non-conflict areas. I want to know what reason it will give. 

U Tun Hla

State parliamentary candidate from Arakan League for Democracy representing Kyauktaw Township 

First, the people have lost their citizenship right. Second, we have wasted time and money. These two things are nothing now. I think elections will not be held there as fighting resumes there. Kyauktaw sees renewed fighting. But, Pauktaw hardly sees fighting. I think elections should take place there. With this abolishment of constituencies, it will be of greater concern for local people. They will be wondering whether they will see more clashes. People will not create a virus or fight. They are just waiting for their representatives. They seek help from their representatives because they themselves cannot express their needs and sufferings. Some contacted me expressing their sorrow for no election in their areas. They are losing their rights. 

U Tun Tha Sein

State parliamentary candidate from Arakan National Party representing Mrauk-U Township 

In these townships, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs cannot guarantee security. We have learned that for reasons of insecurity and possible injustice for election, our townships have been left behind. On behalf of the townships not on the lists of constituencies, I would say in relation to parliamentary politics. There will be no representatives to voice for the sake of those regions. It is a great loss to the local voters. There is no fighting in Pauktaw Township. We have never heard gunfire there. As elections will not take place there, my suspicion is that they have intentionally barred the townships where our party won seats in the previous elections from holding elections. Talking about the townships where elections cannot take place, unlike other states and townships, we do not enjoy the citizenship rights though we are the citizens. I feel we are being discriminated against.   

U Chint Sein 

CEC of the Arakan Front Party

I want to ask the UEC what criteria it has used to decide whether the election will take place or not. In Pauktaw Township of our Rakhine State, we have never heard gunfire. Gunfire is common in Paletwa of Chin State. If they have decided not to hold the election in conflict areas, what about Pauktaw? I am dubious. Why is Paletwa not on the list (of abolished constituencies)? This is the question we need to ask the UEC. The government or the UEC should make a clarification about this. They need to publicize the voters in a transparent manner. For a regular session of Rakhine State Parliament, there must be 47 members of parliament. Now it has only 20 including military representatives. I think the check and balance of a parliament will be complicated and confusing if we go with only 20 MPs.  

U Aung Thaung Shwe

Independent candidate of Buthidaung Township 

This is the duty of the government. Holding election is the government’s duty. No election in those places means government cannot guarantee security there. It indicates that they are weak in ensuring law and order, peace and stability. It also tantamount to saying that elections cannot take place in these areas as they cannot ensure peace, stability and rule of law there. This is the government’s weakness. They have officially said that the election cannot take place in these areas because they cannot control them in terms of security. In other words, it means that they cannot control at all in these nine townships in Rakhine State. Unless the government guarantees security and rule of law, there will be no one who listens to the voice of the people and protect them.   

U Khin Maung Htay

State parliamentary candidate from Arakan League for Democracy representing Kyaukphyu Township 

There were 98 polling stations in Kyaukphyu Township Constituency (1) where I am running for election. Now, 91 polling stations have been cancelled. I have only seven to contest. In our constituency, there are some landmine areas while many areas are peaceful. These peaceful areas are also on the list. I feel sorry for that. The order was issued by the Election Commission. But there might have been pressure on it. From the democratic perspective, it is a very ugly issue.