UNFC and UNA forms committee to draft federal constitution

UNFC and UNA forms committee to draft federal constitution

Published on Wednesday, 04 September 2013 19:44

First meeting of the Joint Committee for Constitutional Review held on August 23 (Photo-Kyaw Zin Win)

The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) have jointly formed a committee to draft a federal constitution.

The committee will be led by Lt-Gen Anbanla, the chairman of the UNFC, Kunman Koban, the chairman of Union National League for Democracy (UNLD) (LA), Khun Tun Oo, the chairman of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy and Aye Tha Aung, the chairman of Rakhine League for Democracy.

The leader of drafting the federal constitution is Colonel Khun Okka. The assistant leaders are Sai Nyunt Lwin and Myo Win and Naing Li Khun is the secretary. Internal and external legal advertisers number nine. The federal constitution bill will be compted in drafting by 2013.

The groups have met twice in Thailand from July 29 to 31. Another meeting was held August 1, during which the ethnics and democratic forces agreed to draft a federal constitution.

First point is to establish federal system, the second, not to accept the 2008 Constitution because of going against basic principles of democracy and federation constitution and the third, to allow experts, women and youths to participate in the draft of the federal constitution. A steering committee will be set up to work on this , said Aye Tha Aung.

The drafting of the federal constitution will depend on the constitution bill, which is being drawn up by members of the UNLD who had been abroad for 20 years, members of the NCUB, ethnics and legal experts. The federal constitution will be a principle for the UNFC and the UNA to follow.

If the government and the UNFC meet, the federal constitution will be presented to them. The next thing is that if Panglong-like conference is held, the UNFC and the UNA will put forward the federal constitution draft. The last thing is that if the Constitution Review Committee amends something in the 2008 Constitution, it will be submitted to the parliament, said Aye Tha Aung.

The Joint Committee for Constitutional Review was formed with proportional representatives from political parties in addition to the 25 Defense Service representatives. The review committee will submit a report on its findings to Union Parliament before December 31 this year.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/unfc-and-una-forms-committee-to-draft-federal-constitution/