The Arakan Rohingya Union has urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to nudge the government towards ending torture on the Rohingyas and giving them citizenship rights.
In a statement published on Sunday the union also put forward a comprehensive picture of the recent election and the events leading up to the election.
On November 8, 2020, Burma held the National Election according to the constitution crafted by the military dictatorship over a decade ago.
The election results show that the National League for Democracy won with a sweeping victory.
However, the election was highly restricted to only certain areas in Arakan, and peace and stability on the ground in Arakan does not appear to be anywhere in sight, read the statement.
Pre-election attacks by the military’s USDP backed campaigners on the opposition party volunteers and supporters increased in Central Burma, and the military’s involvement in the election process became more apparent.
The disenfranchisement of Rohingya from the electoral process by the Government Election Commission continues.
The election
The Office of the Election Commission of Burma cancelled elections in several townships in Arakan which include Pawktaw, Punnagyin, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Kyauktaw, Minbya, Myebon, Maruk-U, and Kyaukphyu (2 precincts), Ann (2 precincts), Sittwe (1 precinct), and Taungup (2 precincts).
No form of campaign activity was allowed in these areas, and the party activists and campaigners were reportedly ordered to take down all the billboards, posters, banners, and other displayed materials.
The NLD party gained heavily, even better than it did in the 2015 election. Among the 20 parties and an independent who contested, the NLD ranked highest with 396 seats (both houses) winning nationally, followed by the military-backed USDP party 33 seats (both houses).
The winner needs a slight majority with 333 seats to form the government; however, due to no election in some ethnic areas, the required number of seats to form the government is reduced to 322.
Pre-election turbulence
The pre-election situation did not remain trouble free, even at the level of government institutions.
The government of National League for Democracy said the military's comments on the election were inciting instability and causing public concern, while violating the law and 2008 Constitution, according to the Irrawaddy news media.
The military has reportedly accused the Union Election Commission (UEC) of incompetence, particularly regarding voter-list errors, disputes over early voting and weak supervision of political parties’ campaigning.
Government spokesman U Zaw Htay said the military chief’s interview goes against the law, in reference to Article 26(a) of the Constitution which states that civil servants, including the military and police, must be free from party politics.
Leading up to the election, there have been many armed clashes between the army and civilians in various areas of the country.
The conflicts have led to the loss of life of two children and injured many. Hundreds have been displaced from their homes.
Recommendations to OIC
The Arakan Rohingya Union gave a list of recommendations to the OIC which included compelling the government to fully comply with all the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, with reports that accurately reflect the real situation on the ground in Arakan; Reinstatement of the voting rights of Rohingyas and the candidacy of the Rohingya contestants regardless of the approval of the delayed by-elections by the Union Election Commission.
The recommendations also included starting repatriation of the forcefully displaced Rohingya from camps in Bangladesh directly to their original homes in Arakan with no transit camps and to stop the Burmese military from indiscriminately shelling the villages in Buddhist Rakhine and Rohingya areas in Arakan causing death, destruction, and displacement of the civilian population, to mention a few.