Press Release : Opening Ceremony of first Arakan National Party Conference Held
25.10.2014 (Thursday),
Thandwe
The first Conference of Arakan National Party (ANP) was held at Dhamma Hall at the Victory Compound, Lay Myet Hna Pagoda, Thandwe (Dwayawaddy), Rakhine State at 9:00am, September 25, 2014. ANP first leader U Aye Tha Aung, deputy leader Dr. Aye Maung, ANP temporary CEC Members, Central Committee Members, representatives from respective townships across the Arakan State, representatives from Ayeyarwaddy Region and Yangon Region, other invited guests and local leaders attended the Conference.
The Ceremony was opened by the representatives chanting Shin Nageinda’s historic poem in unison and by playing Arakan Royal (Mingalar) Drums. Afterwards, attendees saluted Myanmar National Flag, Arakan State Flag and Arakan National Party Flag and kept one minute silent in the honor of Arakanese heroes who sacrificed their lives in the struggles of freedom, and activists including monks, students and civilian heroes who lost their lives in the democratic struggles in Myanmar.
Then, experienced politician U Wai Sein Aung, the lead patron from Sittwe, gave a speech in which he highlighted the fact that the elderly and the youths need to work cooperatively, that the adults have political experiences but the youths are active and leaders of the future. He also emphasized that in Arakanese national and political arena, adults and youths are to establish a qualified, extensive and loyal political force via building capacity among party members.
After that, in his speech, U Aye Tha Aung, the first party leader, highlighted the fact that Rakhine State has been facing massive illegal immigration and severe poverty and thus needs the unity of all Rakhine people to face the challenges, and that unity has always been so crucial that Rakhine people have to try to achieve. He also added that the women who make up half of the Rakhine population play a very important role in Rakhine politics and it is essential that women take the leadership role in the political party and are elected into important positions.
U Aye Tha Aung added that the emergence of genuine federalism, nationwide ceasefire, lasting peace and right to self-determination are currently vitally important for the Union of Myanmar and that we have to remember that ethnic people suffered from different kinds of repressions and difficulties resulted during the military regime. He emphasized that without the amendment to the 2008 constitution, the self-determination needed and demanded by the ethnic nationalities. He explained that decentralization does not allow the genuine powers of the states because the central government can always centralize the powers delegated to the states. Therefore, only through genuine federalism, the division of powers between the state and central governments will genuine and lasting because the division of powers is bestowed in the constitution. Therefore, U Aye Tha Aung explained, only by amending the 2008 constitution will Rakhine and other states enjoy self-determination and constitutional division of powers and equality. He urged all the party representatives to march in unity for the cause of Rakhine national affairs.
In addition, Dr.Aye Maung, deputy leader of the Party delivered a speech. He emphasized that to achieve self-determination in Arakan State, it is voluminously important that we have tactics and strategies. He also urged that ANP parliamentarians should work together to implement the Arakan National Party’s objectives with other Arakanese individual representatives at the Parliament (Hluttaw), that representatives work together to formulate genuine Federal Political Framework and develop concrete party policies through analysis of the current political context and taking into consideration the future political context.
After that the opening ceremony ended with the documentary photo shooting of the party leaders and representatives.
The conference is the first and historic one as the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) and Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) merged into one party, Arakan National Party (ANP).
In the five-day conference, the representatives will discuss and approve matters including party policies, candidate selection policies and party structure.
Arakan League for Democracy won the third largest votes in the 1990 elections only after NLD and SNLD and Rakhine Nationalities Development Party won most of the seats in the Rakhine State constituencies. Due to the national and political situations, the two parties unified into one to fulfill the will of the Rakhine people. This integration is a very significant progress in the political history of Rakhine State and accordingly, Rakhine people have great expectations about Arakan National Party in 2015 elections.
News and Information Team
25.10.2014 (Thursday),
Thandwe
The first Conference of Arakan National Party (ANP) was held at Dhamma Hall at the Victory Compound, Lay Myet Hna Pagoda, Thandwe (Dwayawaddy), Rakhine State at 9:00am, September 25, 2014. ANP first leader U Aye Tha Aung, deputy leader Dr. Aye Maung, ANP temporary CEC Members, Central Committee Members, representatives from respective townships across the Arakan State, representatives from Ayeyarwaddy Region and Yangon Region, other invited guests and local leaders attended the Conference.
The Ceremony was opened by the representatives chanting Shin Nageinda’s historic poem in unison and by playing Arakan Royal (Mingalar) Drums. Afterwards, attendees saluted Myanmar National Flag, Arakan State Flag and Arakan National Party Flag and kept one minute silent in the honor of Arakanese heroes who sacrificed their lives in the struggles of freedom, and activists including monks, students and civilian heroes who lost their lives in the democratic struggles in Myanmar.
Then, experienced politician U Wai Sein Aung, the lead patron from Sittwe, gave a speech in which he highlighted the fact that the elderly and the youths need to work cooperatively, that the adults have political experiences but the youths are active and leaders of the future. He also emphasized that in Arakanese national and political arena, adults and youths are to establish a qualified, extensive and loyal political force via building capacity among party members.
After that, in his speech, U Aye Tha Aung, the first party leader, highlighted the fact that Rakhine State has been facing massive illegal immigration and severe poverty and thus needs the unity of all Rakhine people to face the challenges, and that unity has always been so crucial that Rakhine people have to try to achieve. He also added that the women who make up half of the Rakhine population play a very important role in Rakhine politics and it is essential that women take the leadership role in the political party and are elected into important positions.
U Aye Tha Aung added that the emergence of genuine federalism, nationwide ceasefire, lasting peace and right to self-determination are currently vitally important for the Union of Myanmar and that we have to remember that ethnic people suffered from different kinds of repressions and difficulties resulted during the military regime. He emphasized that without the amendment to the 2008 constitution, the self-determination needed and demanded by the ethnic nationalities. He explained that decentralization does not allow the genuine powers of the states because the central government can always centralize the powers delegated to the states. Therefore, only through genuine federalism, the division of powers between the state and central governments will genuine and lasting because the division of powers is bestowed in the constitution. Therefore, U Aye Tha Aung explained, only by amending the 2008 constitution will Rakhine and other states enjoy self-determination and constitutional division of powers and equality. He urged all the party representatives to march in unity for the cause of Rakhine national affairs.
In addition, Dr.Aye Maung, deputy leader of the Party delivered a speech. He emphasized that to achieve self-determination in Arakan State, it is voluminously important that we have tactics and strategies. He also urged that ANP parliamentarians should work together to implement the Arakan National Party’s objectives with other Arakanese individual representatives at the Parliament (Hluttaw), that representatives work together to formulate genuine Federal Political Framework and develop concrete party policies through analysis of the current political context and taking into consideration the future political context.
After that the opening ceremony ended with the documentary photo shooting of the party leaders and representatives.
The conference is the first and historic one as the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) and Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) merged into one party, Arakan National Party (ANP).
In the five-day conference, the representatives will discuss and approve matters including party policies, candidate selection policies and party structure.
Arakan League for Democracy won the third largest votes in the 1990 elections only after NLD and SNLD and Rakhine Nationalities Development Party won most of the seats in the Rakhine State constituencies. Due to the national and political situations, the two parties unified into one to fulfill the will of the Rakhine people. This integration is a very significant progress in the political history of Rakhine State and accordingly, Rakhine people have great expectations about Arakan National Party in 2015 elections.
News and Information Team
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