Election Commission refuses Rohingya applicants

Election Commission refuses Rohingya applicants

Published on Sunday, 19 May 2013 19:31

Myanmar Union  Election Commission has refused to approve the registration of a political party's executive members, who are described as "Rohingya", the term that Myanmar does not regard as a national race.

The Democracy and Human Right party, registered in March, has submitted the members list to the commission. In the list, six executive members describe themselves as "Rohingya".

The commission sent a denial letter to the party saying the party's move to describe its executives as Rohingya is against the election law.

"The letter says the ethnic list in Myanmar does not involve Rohingya. They are not national citizens. So, they cannot be accepted as the party members," said Kyaw Min, chairman of the Democracy and Human Right party.

The chairman of the Union Election Commission Tin Aye attended the meeting of President Thein Sein and political leaders from eighteen political parties on May 5.

Tin Aye said that the commission won't accept Rohingya in any submission for the 2015 election.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/05/19/election-commission-refuses-rohingya-applicants-6/