The Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD) party Chair says that many political parties will be dissolved because of military regime’s new party registration law.
U Ngai Sak (source 1), CNLD Chair, said that during the current political crisis in the country the military regime imposed a new political party registration law which will lead to the dissolution of many political parties.
“Holding elections is part of democratic mechanism. Elections should create space for all political parties to campaign and run. The new political party registration law created by the SAC regime creates larger barriers to entry on which political parties can even register as parties. I think many political parties will be cancelled by the Union Election Commission because of this new party registration law. This new law is narrowing the boundaries of political space,” U Ngai Sak (source 1) told Khonumthung news.
On 26 January, the military regime imposed a new political party registration law which has significantly more restrictions than the previous registration law. The new law has been criticized by many politicians and political party representatives.
Key changes in the new military-drafted law are that it places minimum requirements on the number of members and amount of funds that political parties must have in order to officially register. For parties planning to run in all constituencies at the national level, the party must have 100,000 members and 100 million Kyat. For parties planning to run only in constituencies at the Region or State level, the party must have 1,000 members and 10 million Kyats.
“If the political situation is stable, it’s fine, we would be able to meet the minimum membership and fund requires stipulated in this law. But it is not possible at the movement, with martial law being imposed in 37 Townships across the country and the political situation still very unstable. We think it would be difficult for our ethnic Chin political party to recruit 1,000 members in Chin State under these circumstances,” U Ngai Sak (source 1) told Khonumthung news.
According to the new election law, all political parties must register or re-register with the Union Election Commission within a 60-day period starting from 26 January. If a political party fails to re-register with union election commission by the deadline, the party’s status will be automatically cancelled by the Election Commission.
Ahead of the 2020 election, the Chin National Democratic Party (CNDP), the Chin League for Democracy (CLD) and the Chin Progressive Party (CPP) merged and formed Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD). In the 2020 election, the CNLD ran in a total of 57 constituencies including 37 constituencies in Chin state and 20 constituencies in Sagaing Region, Magwe Region and Rakhine State. The CNLD won a single seat in the election.
U Ngai Sak (source 1) said that the CNLD party has yet to decide whether to register with the Union Election Commission and run in upcoming general election organized by the military regime.
“If the CNLD doesn’t register with the Union Election Commission within 60 days, the CNLD party will be automatically cancelled by the Election Commission. Our CNLD party is representing all Chin ethnic people. So, if our party is cancelled by the Election Commission, there will be no other party to represent Chin ethnic people. This means we will lose political space. So we carefully need to consider this. At the movement, we have yet to decide whether to register our party under this new party registration law or not,” U Ngai Sak (source 1) told Khonumthung news.
“If we continue to stand as a political party, we can work for our people and national issues of importance. In my opinion, whatever it is, we need to have a Chin ethnic lead political party,” U Ngai Sak (source 1) added.
The military regime has yet to announce an official election date. August 2023 was the expected date for a military regime organized election, but this may be extended now that the SAC military regime has publically extended its rule for another six months on 1 February, the second anniversary of the military coup. The day after this extension of the State Administration Council, the military regime imposed martial law in 37 Townships including in Chin state.
The Chin National Front, which is the political wing of the Chin National Army, said that the combined forces of the CNF and Chinland Defense Forces hold control over 70% of the territory of Chin State. The CNF and the CDF have already announced their strong opposition to the military regime’s upcoming general election.