Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) Is Founded

On This Day in Arakan History ၊ May 6, 2010

The founding of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) on May 6, 2010, meant that the Rakhine people would once again have a dedicated political voice in Myanmar's formal political system after decades of exclusion.

Led by Dr. Aye Maung, the RNDP was officially recognized by the Union Election Commission to contest the 2010 general elections, the first elections held under Myanmar's 2008 constitution.

For the Rakhine population, this registration represented the possibility of advancing their interests—such as greater autonomy, federalism, and cultural recognition—through legal and parliamentary means. It signaled that ethnic Rakhine aspirations could find expression within the existing political framework, even one still heavily controlled by the military.

Flag of Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (source@officalwebsite)

The RNDP's registration holds deep historical significance because it marked the re-emergence of organized Rakhine political representation for the first time since 1990, when previous Rakhine-based parties were suppressed following the military's refusal to honor election results.

In the 2010 elections, the RNDP demonstrated remarkable strength, winning 38.3% of seats in the Rakhine State legislature—outperforming the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. This electoral performance established the RNDP as the dominant political force in Rakhine State and proved that Rakhine voters would overwhelmingly support parties explicitly advocating for their ethnic interests when given the opportunity. The party's victories across constituencies in Akyab, Mrauk U, and Kyauktaw sent a clear message that Rakhine nationalism could no longer be ignored by the central government.

The RNDP's registration set in motion a chain of political developments that would shape Rakhine State for years to come. On June 17, 2013, the RNDP merged with the Arakan League for Democracy to form the Arakan National Party (ANP), which was officially registered on March 6, 2014.

The ANP went on to become Myanmar's key and strongest ethnic political party, winning 22 seats in the Union Parliament and 23 seats in the Rakhine State legislature in the 2015 elections. However, the RNDP's legacy also carried darker consequences. Some party members were accused of being implicated in instigating the 2012 communal riots, reflecting the rise of ethnic nationalism that the party both represented and amplified. This created deep communal divisions for later years.

Yangon office, Central Branch – Arakan Nationalities Development Party (source@myothageevideofootage)

Besides, despite winning the first majority seats in the elections, the party was unable to form state’s government due to the limitation in the 2008 constitution and this ultimately shows why the Rakhine populace later turned more weight on the Arakan Army’s movement. However, the RNDP's formation stands as the foundational moment when modern Rakhine political nationalism re-entered the legal arena—one that would evolve, fragment, and ultimately reshape the region's political landscape in ways both promising and tragic.