Myanmar ethnic parties win nearly 100 seats
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The ethnic minority parties of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), which has good relations with the National League for Democracy (NLD), have secured nearly 100 seats across the Lower House, Upper House and state parliaments.
The UNA members are the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), Mon National Party (MNP), Arakan National Party (ANP), Zomi Congress for Democracy, Kokang Democracy and Unity Party in Shan State, Kayan National Party, Kachin National Democracy Congress and Kayin People’s Party.
The SNLD won 12 Lower House seats, three Upper House seats and 25 state seats. It competed for 46 Lower House, 14 Upper House and 96 state parliament seats.
The ANP contested in 17 townships, Rakhine State, and some seats in Yangon and Ayeyawady regions. It won 14 contests.
The Zomi Congress for Democracy competed in 12 constituencies in Kachin State, winning two seats for each of the Lower and Upper houses and the state parliament.
The MNP won three seats in three parliaments. UNA members have had frequent dialogue with the NLD, which shunned constituencies where some UNA leaders were standing.
Some UNA members have said they would collaborate with the NLD on democratic and federal affairs beyond 2015.
