Myanmar Junta Threatens To Disband Two Major Political Parties

The Myanmar junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) has threatened two major political parties that won majorities in the 2020 general election with disbandment if they do not comply with its order to submit their financial accounts for inspection by March 9. In a letter issued earlier this month, the UEC had instructed the National League for Democracy (NLD), the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and two other parties to appear before it on February 14 to verify their financial accounts and expenses. Neither the NLD nor the SNLD showed up, prompting the UEC to issue its warning on February 23. The NLD and the SNLD won majorities in the Union Parliament and Shan State Parliament, respectively, in the 2020 vote. The SNLD also came third in the nationwide parliamentary vote. Sai Kyaw Nyunt, joint secretary of the SNLD, told ‘The Irrawaddy’ that the party would accept a request from the UEC to visit the party’s main headquarters and audit its financial accounts. However, he said: “We didn’t commit any [wrongdoing], so we don’t need to go there [to the UEC] and be investigated. In February last year, the NLD released a statement saying it does not recognise the new election commission appointed by the junta and that its announcements are illegal.