Myanmar Political Party Refuses The Election Commission Meeting Invitation Formed Military Regime

Illustration of SAC meeting formed by the Myanmar military. (Source: seniorgeneralminaunghlaing.com.mm)

JAKARTA - The new General Election Commission (UEC), which was formed by the Myanmar military regime which carried out a coup on February 1, has invited a number of leading political parties in Myanmar to attend a meeting on Friday, February 26.

There was no mention of the agenda in the invitation and only asked the willingness of political parties to send their representatives to attend the meeting. However, the majority of the leading political parties in Myanmar expressed their reluctance to attend the meeting.

The Shan Nationality League for Democracy (SNLD) told The Irrawaddy the SNLD Central Executive Committee decided not to attend the meeting.

SNLD is known to have won 15 seats in the Myanmar Parliament and 27 seats in the Shan State Parliament in the November 2020 elections.

"The political stance and aims of the SNLD are very much at odds with the actions of the military council", said SNLD Secretary-General Sai Leik.

He said it was too early to say whether the SNLD would take part in the re-election arranged by the Myanmar military. According to him, their political point of view is very different.

"Our party accepts the voter list for the 2020 elections as accurate and legally valid", he said, referring to the Myanmar military claim that the 2020 election voter list was problematic so that they opposed the election results and staged a coup.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of the Kachinyang State People's Party (KSPP) based in Myitkyina, Kachin State Gungrawng Awng Hkam said, after going through a heated debate, his party decided to attend the meeting with a note.

"We decided to attend Friday's meeting because we can't be sure there won't be a general election. We have to think about how our party can survive and represent the people", he said.

"The KSPP only listens to military-appointed UEC, but will not cooperate with the State Administration Council (SAC) or accept any council seats", he added. The KSPP has 1 Lower House seat and 3 Kachin State Parliament seats.

Kayah State Democratic Party, which won 5 seats in Myanmar's Parliament and 3 state seats, said it had not been invited and was likely not to attend. The party is based in Loikaw, Kayah State.

"We will have a central executive committee meeting to decide whether to attend the meeting or not. We will also consult with other ethnic groups. But we couldn't be there. Attending will create political problems for us, "explained party secretary-general Khu Theh Reh.

The Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS), a Yangon-based party, which has joined anti-regime demonstrations, said it would not attend the meeting.

The League for Democracy said on Wednesday that they would not attend Friday's meeting. And, Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) also stated that they refused to attend the invitation.