Myanmar’s Union Election Commission (UEC) has rejected an application submitted by members of the Buddhist ultra-nationalist group Ma Ba Tha in their effort to form a political party.
The UEC made its decision at a meeting on Nov. 23 and informed the applicants the reason for the rejection was that some of them were not in compliance with the Political Parties Registration Law.
The UEC has not released any details about its decision, but some theorize that the applicants may have been accused of trying to exploit religious feelings for political gain, which is outlawed in Myanmar.
“We’ll ask [the UEC] what ‘not in compliance with the Political Parties Registration Law’ means. The UEC said some [members] are not in compliance. So, we’ll ask who they are. For example, if there are three members who are in violation, can we replace them and resubmit the application? We’ll ask it for clarification within a few days,” Maung Thway Chon, one of the applicants, told The Irrawaddy.
He added: “Their denial of our request to form a party, before we have had a chance to act [as a party], is a suppression of nationalism and goes against democratic norms.”
Ma Ba Tha has frequently clashed with the ruling National League for Democracy and has ties to the military-linked Union Solidarity and Development Party, which is Myanmar’s main opposition party.
Ma Ba Tha’s decision to form its own political party was announced in May, on the occasion of its fourth anniversary. That same month, Myanmar’s highest Buddhist clerical body, known as Ma Ha Na, banned Ma Ba Tha from operating in the country in an effort to curb its anti-Muslim influence.
Ma Ba Tha swifly rebranded as the Dhamma Vansanurakhitta Association, and its members proceeded to preach anti-Muslim rhetoric and publish anti-Muslim literature. Some of these publications were overseen by Maung Thway Chon.
Maung Thway Chon said he and other Ma Ba Tha members will continue in their bid to form a party and file a complaint if they are rejected again.
There are currently 95 political parties registered with the UEC.
