An interview with Former MP U Pe Than who resigned from the Arakan National Party (ANP).
May 5th, 2022
The public’s support for the Arakan Army (AA) which is striving for the freedom of Arakan State becomes higher following the fighting between the Myanmar army and the AA in Arakan State.
In addition, the public’s support and interest in the party politics in the wake of the coup has declined. The Development Media Group (DMG) interviewed former MP and experienced politician U Pe Than who resigned from the Arakan National Party (ANP) in August last year, about party politics.
Q: Why did you resign from the ANP?
A: I have other duties. I have other national affairs which are more important than the party affairs. Now, the party politics is dead. My resignation from the party aims to perform national affairs which are more important than party politics.
Q: What do you mean the party politics is dead?
A: The party politics is working under the 2008 Constitution. In the past, the proposals and questions submitted and raised by the parties got neglected. The approved questions and proposals could not be implemented. After the coup, the party politics had no parliamentary space. There are no political activities. The people show no interest in party politics. After the election and the coup, the people are no longer interested in party politics. That’s why party politics is dead.
Q: May I know your view on why the public’s support for party politics has declined in Arakan State?
A: In party politics, the people supported the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) and the ANP. Later, youths showed more support for the revolution made by the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) rather than party politics. The party politics has limits. What we want is much bigger than that. The rights are relatively low compared with what we want. Youths are becoming more interested in the freedom of the Arakan State and the restoration of Arakan sovereignty. They no longer rely on the parties working under the 2008 Constitution. This is due to weak rights. What we receive is relatively lower than what we want. On the real ground, we cannot implement the works through the proposals and questions on the path of party politics. Many youths turned to the armed revolution when the ULA/AA emerged and all sectors have weaknesses. The party politics is not working due to the coup. Youths are less interested in party politics. The people have borne in their minds that they must turn to the revolutionary path for what they want. The public were interested in party politics for a while when the election was held. But later the public’s interest in party politics has declined gradually. The public have the view that the MPs neglected the public. The MPs worked for personal interest when they won the seats. The ULA/AA emerged for the public. The public are less interested in party politics. They are more eager to make an armed revolution.
Q: Can it be said that the downfall has come for the Arakan parties?
A: It can be said that the people are no longer interested in party politics and parliamentary politics rather than the downfall. Arakan people and Bamar people are less interested in politics. The military council has not abolished the 2008 Constitution citing the coup. The parties’ rights enshrined in the 2008 Constitution are extremely low during the 10-year tenure. There is no hope at all. That’s why, the public have walked on the party politics path as there is no other alternative. They will have a few rights to speak out. The public encouraged the Arakan parties as they can do assembly under the party’s flag, and their MPs shall have the rights to speak in parliaments. Later, the ULA/AA can shake the hearts of the people like an earthquake. The revolution path and the armed struggle path is rough and has a lot of difficulties. However, the public prefers this path. Our race lost our sovereignty. We have a strong belief that there is nothing except independence for the restoration of sovereignty, living under the own monarchy, the utilization of our resources and being free from restriction and being other’s followers. So, the role of party politics is dim. The party politics cannot satisfy the needs of the public. The people’s reliance shifts to the ULA/AA. The people bear in mind that the party politics would bring about nothing even though the party politics is totally obscure.
Q: Do you think that the Arakan parties can win the election to be held by the military council in 2023?
A: Take a look at the election period, a party has its members. The party members have their families. The election can be held as the law doesn’t describe how many percentages are required for the success of the election. But the public’s interest is extremely low. It will become the election which wins the very low public support and trust. It will be the for-show election. However, the public will cast their votes more or less when there is an election. However, there may be competition between the party politics and armed revolution in Arakan State. The armed revolution may restrict and control it. We cannot say exactly whether the parties which compete in the election will continue to walk on the party politics path. Or else, the parties will put pressure and cooperate with the ULA/AA to get the pattern they want without the participation in the election under the 2008 Constitution. The views of the party leaders are very important. The situation will be like that in the past ten years if the party leaders decide to compete in the election.
Q: What kinds of competition are there between the political parties and armed groups?
A: The competition is that the armed groups have turned to the armed revolutionary means. It goes against the State Administration Council (SAC). There will be fractions. The parties working under the 2008 Constitution are to cooperate with the SAC. There may be competitions. There may be disunity among the public. The public may get confused whether they have to turn to the party politics or armed revolution. So, the competition is not between the oppositions. There may be fractions based on the facts whether the public supports the election or the AA recognizes that election.
Q: What would be the situation in Arakan State if the Arakan parties cannot compete in the election due to the pressure or other reasons and the Bamar party, especially the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) wins the victory?
A: There is no reason for the USDP to secure votes if the public don’t support the party path or abstain from voting. The public’s nod for election is difficult if the Arakan parties skip the election in Arakan State. It is difficult for the public to accept the participation in the election if the Arakan parties abstain from the participation in the election. As I mentioned earlier, the election law doesn’t describe the fact that how many percentages are required for the success of the election. The party can win the election by a single vote. It will be an untrustworthy victory. Finally, the fate of Arakan State is not in the hands of the parties. The decision of the Arakan people is not in the hands of the parties. It is in the hands of the ULA/AA. Even if the parties from the plain area win the election, any parties cannot do the acts which oppose the ULA/AA’s process and what the ULA/AA doesn’t like. As I mentioned earlier, the ULA/AA’s view on the election plays a crucial part. So far, we have not seen it. We need to monitor how the ULA/AA will make decisions.
Q: How do you review the situations of the Arakan political parties after the coup? Currently, there are three parties in Arakan State. Can you review each party?
A: The Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) is the NLD’s shadow. The ALD has refused to accept the UEC’s inspection. Since before, the ALD has no forces. The ALD is weak as the public has regarded it as the NLD’s ally and follower.
In 1990, the election was held. I was a CEC member of the party. But the ALD did not secure seats in two elections. The ALD won the less public interest among three parties as the people regarded the ALD as a follower of the NLD. The Arakan Front Party (AFP) has the image of Dr. Aye Maung at the beginning. But I cannot say to what extent the public are interested in the AFP. U Aye Maung could not organize the people after being released from jail. U Aye Maung got personal support from the public.
It can be said that U Aye Maung has expectations if the public support remains unchanged. The ANP got the majority of the votes. The party is weak as there are collapses and resignations inside the party. The AFP and the ANP will be rivalries.
Q: Are there impacts on the ANP as Daw Aye Nu Sein and U Zaw Aye Maung are included in the military council?
A: Yes. It has impacts inside the ANP. The party itself has not axed them from the party yet. They are dragging on it. The ANP held the conference and made decisions. The party told its members that the members can resign with their own volition. The party itself has to solve its internal problems. The party can organize its members by holding the conference. The top party leaders can again reorganize the party by holding the conference. It is not easy for all top party leaders to participate in it. I think they are far from it.
Q: The AA’s Military Chief Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing told a foreign media that the ANP was likely to cooperate with the AA if the election materializes. May I know your view on it?
A: The party has no work if there is no election. If there are no party duties, they should not waste time at the party. We need to cooperate on our national goal with the ULA/AA. Even if the people have national spirit, they cannot dare to sacrifice their lives, businesses, education and families. They love their races. They are working within the legal boundaries. As a matter of fact, only a handful of the people will join the ULA/AA’s revolution path by sacrificing their lives. Some people who can sacrifice their lives may join the ULA/AA if there is no party politics. It is not easy for those who don’t dare to sacrifice everything to join the AA.
Q: Can it be said that you resigned from the party as you were fed up in party politics?
A: My resignation aims to do national affairs which are more important than party politics. I have no enough time to do party politics and other important work. I have no desire to do so.
Q: Do you have anything to add?
A: I don’t want to say that the political parties have no hope due to the withdrawal from the political party. It has been over ten years the political parties are running under the 2008 Constitution. But nothing happened. The images of colonialism will not disappear. The Arakan people deserve the Confederation demanded by the ULA/AA or the higher federal. There are many persons who are well-versed in politics in the party and legal bound rather than working under the 2008 Constitution. Now I want them to carry out national affairs instead of wasting time. In my view, they need to extend a helping hand to national affairs which are more important than party politics. Time has come to choose another alternative. It is time for the qualified persons to cooperate in national politics rather than waste time in party politics. I would like to say that we will first achieve our goal we want, through cooperation.
Sent by Aung Htein (DMG).
