CNI News
24 Dec 2022
Whether the National League for Democracy will participate in the elections held by the State Administration Council is hotly debated among politicians and political observers.
The SAC is likely to hold elections in main Bamar cities and the NLD is unlikely to take part in the elections, Political Observer Advocate U Kyee Myint told the CNI.
He told the CNI, "They are likely to hold elections in main Bamar cities and then in certain places in states under their control. They said they will hold the elections under the PR system but they were not entitled to hold elections under the system in the past. They will hold elections under the system and a new government will be formed under the system. The NLD is unlikely to take part in the elections. Daw Aung San Suu has already said the NLD would not participate in the election. The SNLD is unlikely to take part in the elections. Many other political parties will not participate in the elections."
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. (GETTY IMAGES)
Recently, the UNSC adopted a resolution on Myanmar, calling for the release of political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
He does not see any indications that the NLD will take part in the election but the situation would be likely to change if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was released, Spokesperson Naing Shwe Than of the Mon Unity Party told the CNI.
He told the CNI, "We haven't seen any signs that the NLD has revived. If Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was released, the situation would be likely to change. We haven't seen any activities of the NLD."
As the NLD cannot be dissolved by any means, the party will continue to survive, Political Observer Dr Hla Kyaw Zaw told the CNI.
A ballot-booth representative training course of the NLD. (GETTY IMAGES)
She told CNI, "A political party can collapse when it dissolves itself after losing elections. It will find ways and means to survive. Communist Party of Burma has never accepted its defeats and saw them as temporary failures. Communists form new cells when they have three cell members. It is not easy to dissolve a political party. Successive juntas have tried to dissolve the NLD for many years but the party has survived. If the NLD dissolved itself, it would collapse like the BSPP. Otherwise, it will continue to survive."
The NLD is required to take part in the elections held by the SAC and there are indications that it is preparing for the elections, Chairman U Sein Win of the National United Democratic Party told the CNI.
He said, "We have nothing to say about the issue as authorities have not announced that the NLD is an illegal organization after studying whether the crimes were committed or not. If its activities are lawful, it can participate in the elections. If their activities are unlawful, consequences will follow. However, there are indications that they are trying to participate in the elections."
The SAC chairman announced that it would hold a general election in August, 2023 and transfer power to the winning party.
The National Unity Government and the People's Defence Force have announced that they would disrupt the elections held by the SAC and urged all not to participate in the elections.
