• Burmese
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Irrawaddy
31 °c
Yangon
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Junta Watch
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Books
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
The Irrawaddy
No Result
View All Result
Home From the Archive

The Fall and Rise of Dr. Aye Maung

Aung Myo Oo by Aung Myo Oo
January 19, 2018
in From the Archive
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0 0
A A
The Arakan National Party (ANP) head office in Sittwe, September 3, 2015 / Reuters

The Arakan National Party (ANP) head office in Sittwe, September 3, 2015 / Reuters

6.8k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A combination of smart campaigning, name recognition and nationalist sentiment helped propel Dr. Aye Maung to a victory many thought unlikely in local by-elections in Rakhine State in April 2017, argued political observer Aung Myo Oo. Following the Arakan National Party lawmaker’s arrest on Thursday for alleged association with an unlawful organization, The Irrawaddy revisits Aung Myo Oo’s analysis of his path to victory, which originally ran on April 7.

The news of Dr. Aye Maung’s electoral success in Ann Township, Rakhine State, in the April 1 by-election came as a complete surprise for many political observers who live far from the area. Putting aside judgments on partisan politics and values, and employing a closer, hands-on observation will certainly reveal that the once-beaten party leader deserves the success at this time.

I have written in a previous article that his bid to run for election in Ann Township was a reckless venture. While that statement held true to the last minute, closer observation reveals that a mix of factors influenced his victory. On a superficial level, most commentators will readily attribute this triumph to the rise of Rakhine ethno-nationalism.

RelatedPosts

Defusing the Thai-Cambodian Border Row

Defusing the Thai-Cambodian Border Row

June 16, 2025
404
Trump Unveils Website For $5 Million US Residency Visa

Trump Unveils Website For $5 Million US Residency Visa

June 12, 2025
438
How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

June 11, 2025
1.2k

Though ethno-national sentiment definitely leverages his success, there are other important factors that gave rise to the victory of Dr. Aye Maung.

Aggressive and Careful Campaign Efforts

As the leader of the powerful, ethnic Arakan National Party (ANP), the shameful loss in Manaung Township in the 2015 general election must have incurred a sense of insecurity in him and in his party. Considering that feeling, his decision to run in Ann Township for a Pyithu Hluttaw seat amazed Rakhine’s political watchers. It was risky business. Dr. Aye Maung must have been stupid to be oblivious to this situation, but he was not.

In order to overcome the challenge, he gathered a large force of volunteers. Providing him with a persistent flow of workhands was one of his old allies from Taungup who lost to the rivals of National League for Democracy (NLD) during the 2015 election. The general secretary of the party and ANP Union lawmakers joined him for days and nights. Young politicians from Ann Township combined forces to navigate his campaign’s direction. Individual supporters from almost all of the townships in Rakhine State arrived at Ann Township to make sure Dr. Aye Maung got a chance. He spent two months of the campaign period wisely and effectively on the ground, quite contrary to what he did in Manaung in 2015.

He likened his campaign strategy to that of the Burmese Communist Party (BCP) during an interview. He spent several days visiting the outlaying villages to gauge voters’ alignment before embarking on the centers with big populations. During the final days of the campaign period, he tried to keep himself glued to his supporters. He was seen “only” in the region of his supporters—Ann region 2, where there are big population centers like Tat Taung Township, and villages Rue and Sachanmaw. This tactic is correct in that he was able to get the supporters out on election day. Campaign managers usually call this tactic ‘Get Out the Vote (GOTV).’ It is important that the supporting voters turn out at the polling stations. That is what matters to win an election—get your voters out.

In order to understand this dynamic, I interviewed some local political observers. They told me that during the concluding days of the campaign period, the NLD candidate and the USDP candidate spent less time on their supporter base and more on non-supporters. Although I have not independently verified that, if it is true then Dr. Aye Maung got his campaign strategy more correct than his opponents.

Brand Recognition

The interest in Ann Township election brought forth many international observers including foreign embassies. The reason behind this interest lays with Dr. Aye Maung, who they consider a hard liner—some even a rabble-rouser. Many people also think that the local interest that arose from this election was because of Dr. Aye Maung. As mentioned before, this article does not engage in value judgment of Dr. Aye Maung’s political outlook and his past activities, but intends to recognize that his name has become well-known (famous or notorious) locally and internationally.

That simple fact became more visible when his rivals tried to establish name recognition and failed. One international observer told me frankly that he came to observe the by-election in Ann Township because he wanted to see how Dr. Aye Maung would do. But he had to keep looking back at his notebook to remember the names of the other candidates. One local observer even told me that a singer from an NLD music concert did not remember the NLD candidate’s name.

Brand recognition is an important element in pushing a candidate to success and Dr. Aye Maung certainly enjoyed this advantage over his opponents during the by election.

The Spread of Ethnic Nationalism

This last factor serves as the backbone of Dr. Aye Maung’s success. But political watchers were unable to verify how much ethno-national sentiment had spread to Ann Township—a township that is seen generally on the periphery of Rakhine’s national domain. Ann people speak a dialect closer to Burmese and they recognize the people from Sittwe as Rakhine people, as if they are not Rakhine. Whether that sentiment has changed and to what extent remains to be researched and verified. But Rakhine nationalists have already celebrated the spread of ethno-nationalist sentiments to Ann Township through this by-election.

One can realize that the 2012 communal conflict in Rakhine State has injected a revived dose of national sentiment to communities living across the state’s different townships. The feeling of insecurity, imagined or real, due to the “presence of foreigners” has connected the people in Rakhine State. It is tantamount to conclude that they came to express this feeling through their electoral rights. And Dr. Aye Maung is not hesitant to capitalize on the changing dynamics of the political landscape. He exhibited electoral talent and his supporters were quick to act. For these reasons, he deserves this success regardless of his political stance.

Aung Myo Oo is a native of Sittwe and an active commentator on social media about political activities in Rakhine State. He received a Master of Human Rights and Democratization from the University of Sydney.

Your Thoughts …
Tags: Politics
Aung Myo Oo

Aung Myo Oo

Contributor

Similar Picks:

Myanmar Civil Society, Burmanization, and the Bars and Coffee Shops of Thailand
Guest Column

Myanmar Civil Society, Burmanization, and the Bars and Coffee Shops of Thailand

by R. J. Aung and Tony Waters
November 18, 2023
10.9k

After the 2021 coup the donors, NGOs and CSOs of ‘Peaceland’ decamped from Yangon to Thailand, but their Western, ‘we-know-best’...

Read moreDetails
By Almost Every Measure, Myanmar Junta Ranks Among World’s Worst Regimes
Analysis

By Almost Every Measure, Myanmar Junta Ranks Among World’s Worst Regimes

by Khin Nadi
February 2, 2024
10.8k

The Irrawaddy unpacks the regime’s three-year track record of violence and rights abuses, as assessed by leading global organizations and...

Read moreDetails
The Uncertain Future of Myanmar’s Rakhine State
Guest Column

The Uncertain Future of Myanmar’s Rakhine State

by David Scott Mathieson
March 19, 2025
9.6k

The Arakan Army must now consolidate its unprecedented territorial gains in Rakhine State and contend with humanitarian, intercommunal and international...

Read moreDetails
Dead or Alive: Min Aung Hlaing’s Final Gamble
Commentary

Dead or Alive: Min Aung Hlaing’s Final Gamble

by San Yeik Nyein
May 23, 2025
9.1k

As his regime loses ground, the Myanmar junta boss turns to strongmen overseas. But inside military circles, one question remains:...

Read moreDetails
Charting Myanmar Strongman Ne Win’s Tragic Legacy
Books

Charting Myanmar Strongman Ne Win’s Tragic Legacy

by Mon Mon Myat
July 18, 2024
9k

In a new book, Saw Eh Htoo and Tony Waters examine the late dictator’s policy of Burmanization and how it...

Read moreDetails
An Inside Look at the NLD Government’s Economic Reform Efforts
Books

An Inside Look at the NLD Government’s Economic Reform Efforts

by Mon Mon Myat
October 21, 2024
8.4k

In a new book, Sean Turnell, Australian former adviser to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, recalls the achievements of her...

Read moreDetails
Load More
Next Post
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon (R). / Reuters

Four ‘Lenders’ to Be Grilled Over Prawit’s Watches

Drugs seized from the house of Lao Yao. Photo / Ministry of Home Affairs / Facebook

Record Narcotics Haul in Shan State

No Result
View All Result

Recommended

Is TNLA, Under Chinese Pressure, Conceding Northern Shan Gateway to the Regime?

Is TNLA, Under Chinese Pressure, Conceding Northern Shan Gateway to the Regime?

4 days ago
1.3k
How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

How the Myanmar Military’s Propaganda Efforts Have Evolved Over the Decades

6 days ago
1.2k

Most Read

  • Myanmar Junta Attacks to Reclaim KIA’s Jade and Rare Earth Strongholds

    Myanmar Junta Attacks to Reclaim KIA’s Jade and Rare Earth Strongholds

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China is Systematically Dismantling Tibetan Monastic Traditions

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • China’s Bet on Myanmar Junta Risks Backfiring

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Defusing the Thai-Cambodian Border Row

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Sagaing Region Braced for Myanmar Junta Airstrikes After Jet Crash

    shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Newsletter

Get The Irrawaddy’s latest news, analyses and opinion pieces on Myanmar in your inbox.

Subscribe here for daily updates.

Contents

  • News
  • Politics
  • War Against the Junta
  • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
  • Conflicts In Numbers
  • Junta Crony
  • Ethnic Issues
  • Asia
  • World
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Election 2020
  • Elections in History
  • Cartoons
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Commentary
  • Guest Column
  • Analysis
  • Letters
  • In Person
  • Interview
  • Profile
  • Dateline
  • Specials
  • Myanmar Diary
  • Women & Gender
  • Places in History
  • On This Day
  • From the Archive
  • Myanmar & COVID-19
  • Intelligence
  • Myanmar-China Watch
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Fashion & Design
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Photo Essay
  • Donation

About The Irrawaddy

Founded in 1993 by a group of Myanmar journalists living in exile in Thailand, The Irrawaddy is a leading source of reliable news, information, and analysis on Burma/Myanmar and the Southeast Asian region. From its inception, The Irrawaddy has been an independent news media group, unaffiliated with any political party, organization or government. We believe that media must be free and independent and we strive to preserve press freedom.

  • Copyright
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Team
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Burmese

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Burma
    • Politics
    • World
    • Asia
    • Myanmar’s Crisis & the World
    • Ethnic Issues
    • War Against the Junta
    • Junta Cronies
    • Conflicts In Numbers
    • Junta Watch
    • Fact Check
    • Investigation
    • Myanmar-China Watch
    • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Guest Column
    • Analysis
    • Editorial
    • Stories That Shaped Us
    • Letters
  • Ethnic Issues
  • War Against the Junta
  • In Person
    • Interview
    • Profile
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Business Roundup
  • Books
  • Donation

© 2023 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.