Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) and the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) have urged political parties not to participate in the junta’s slated sham election out of respect for the will of the people.
Sixty-three parties, mostly with military links, have reregistered under a new rule introduced by the regime in January and will contest the coup regime’s proposed poll. Forty parties including the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) led by the jailed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the popular ethnic Shan party, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), didn’t re-register under the junta’s draft electoral law. All 40 parties were dissolved by the junta as a result.
The parallel government and its NUCC advisors reminded the parties that decided to follow the junta’s roadmap that registering with the junta equated to obeying the military-drafted undemocratic 2008 Constitution, which was abolished by the revolutionary forces.
The NUG and NUCC said revolutionary forces have made it clear that the election planned by the “terrorist” junta is not a solution to the country’s political crisis but rather a deceptive exercise designed to prolong their rule. It doesn’t even deserve to be called an “election”, said the parallel civilian government.
“The people of Myanmar are determined to permanently solve the political problem that has existed for more than 70 years. Therefore, we would like to warn all parties not to participate in the illegal fake election of the junta,” the statement read.
On March 15, the NUG declared the regime’s election law invalid, automatically nullifying it along with the election commission set up by the junta, which it called it a terrorist organization.
In the joint statement issued after the junta announced the parties’ dissolution, the NUG and NUCC said they regard parties that adhere to the people’s wishes and reject reregistration, despite difficulties, with respect and pride.
The statement also said the junta has no authority to dissolve political parties.
It vowed the NUCC and NUG would in the future hold genuine elections and build up people’s democratic power to meet their own needs.
“For this to happen, all the ethnic people and citizens should join forces,” the NUG and NUCC added.
