Veteran Rohingya politician Abu Tahay gives his perspective on the 2020 Myanmar elections. Presented by Sumaiya. Interviewed by Shafiur Rahman.

Abu Taher or Tahay is a long established Rohingya politician. He is the Chairman of the Union National Development Party (UNDP). UNDP has not been granted registration by the Myanmar authorities. UNDP applied for registration in 2013 and was finally rejected by the government in 2019. Abu Tahay was detained in 1989 for six months. In 2010, despite being elected at the polls, the government prevented Tahay from becoming an MP.

Questions:

Aung San Suu Kyi’s party has won this election. Yet in the last few years  there have been some catastrophes: the Rakhine “clearance operations”, conflict in various states, harassment of human rights workers and journalists. Do you think the Burmese public care about these issues? 

Aung San Suu Kyi has had a very humiliating 3 years in the international arena. Do you think this  victory will help her aim of gaining international legitimacy? Or is her real aim domestic legitimacy and supremacy? 

Were the elections Free and Fair in Rakhine state? Have people been able to vote? Arakan National Party and Arakan Front Party - how do they view Rohingya people? 

Aung San Suu Kyi will probably emerge stronger - so do you think she will make any of the changes the Kofi Annan commission recommended? Do you think her policies will change in terms of the Rohingya in IDP camps or the repatriation of Rohingya from the camps? What positive changes do you think will come from her?

What happened to Rohingya candidates in this election? What about other muslim candidates? Did other muslims face discrimination?

Do you think Aung San Suu Kyi is going to go from being a democracy icon to a dictator trying to hold together a sham democracy?

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