Arakanese KNPP Party Submits 6 Candidates to UEC

By Maung Aye
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Sittwe: The Kaman National Progressive Party, an ethnic minority party in Arakan State, was able to submit only six candidates to the Union Election Commission, or UEC, to contest in the upcoming election scheduled for 7 November, 2010, said party president U Zaw Min.

Speaking to Narinjara over the phone, he said, "We submitted six candidates to the UEC for three townships in Arakan State. We could not submit candidates in some townships in Arakan State due to insufficient time and funds."

U Zaw Win said that he will run in the Sittwe constituency for Pyitaungsu Parliament, or the Lower House, while senior leader U Hla Toe will run in the Sittwe constituency for the National Parliament, or Upper House.

Another two leaders, U Kyaw Nyein and U Aung Hla Tun, will run in the Sittwe constituency for the Rakhine State Parliament.

U Tun Myint will run in Rambree Township for the Rakhine State Parliament, while U Tin Hlaing will run in Thandwe for the State Parliament.

"Our party is formed by Kaman patriots in order to carry out the development of the Kaman people as well as our state, Arakan. We are able to win some seats, where our people are a majority, in Arakan State," he added.

In the 1990 military sponsored election, U Shwe Ya, a candidate from the Kaman party, which was banned later by the authority, won in the second seat in the Sittwe constituency, but authorities later canceled the results after some rival politicians in Sittwe complained.

The Kaman are an ethnic minority nationality in Arakan, and the Kaman people are primarily Muslim.


Narinjara