UNFC, Daw Suu agree on federal army plan

UNFC, Daw Suu agree on federal army plan

By Ei Ei Toe Lwin   |   Sunday, 01 December 2013

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the United Nationalities Federal Council have reached an agreement to work together to bring about the establishment of a federal system and federal union army, they told reporters last week.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the United Nationalities Federal Council pose for a photo at her residence in Yangon on November 25. Photo: AFP

While ethnic groups have long called for a federal state, the federal army proposal has only gained prominence in recent weeks after it became the focus of peace talks in Myitkyina in Kachin State in early December. The Tatmadaw has rejected the proposal as "a dangerous dream".

"[The UNFC] told me they want to be establish a federal union army that meets the criteria of a federal union state. There must be a federal army if there is going to be a federal state," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told reporters at her Yangon home on November 25.

The press conference was held after the National League for Democracy leader met three members of the UNFC, a Chiang Mai-based umbrella organisation for around a dozen armed ethnic groups, to discuss amendments to the 2008 constitution and the federal union army.

The visit, at the invitation of the Myanmar Peace Center, was the first by a UNFC delegation and was aimed at building confidence in the peace process and enabling the group to meet other stakeholders. It was facilitated by Japanese non-government organisation the Nippon Foundation.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that while the NLD and ethnic groups did not always have the same policy on whether the constitution should be amended or rewritten there is no disagreement between them.

"All share the idea that we need a democratic federal system. We all agree that it's impossible for a federal system to emerge from the [current version of the] 2008 constitution," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, before declaring that she "must fulfill the needs of ethnic minorities".

Senior officials from the UNFC said they agreed with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's comments and called on her to take part in peace talks as an observer.

They also agreed on the need for constitutional change, warning that genuine peace would not be possible with the current constitution.

However, the UNFC officials reaffirmed the group's belief that the 2008 constitution should be scrapped and replaced with a constitution that recognises Myanmar as a federal union state.

"We exchanged our points of view on the current constitution. We believe that we can reach our goals more quickly with a new constitution," said general secretary U Naing Han Thar, who led the UNFC delegation.

The UNFC members visited Yangon from November 24 to 26 at the invitation of U Aung Min, head of the government peace negotiation team. During their visit they met U Aung Min, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), a coalition of ethnic minority parties, for talks on the peace process.

"We are satisfied with the trip," U Naing Han Thar told reporters before departing for Chiang Mai on November 26. "The government allowed us to meet the people we wanted."

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/unfc-daw-suu-agree-on-federal-army-plan/