Min Thu Ta – The Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF) will form the Federal Union Party (FUP) to run in the 2015 national elections in Burma, according to a six-point statement that was issued at their most recent party meeting.
The NBF decided to form the FUP to provide ethnic representation in areas of the country where their numbers are less.
“In Rangoon and Pegu divisions, there are Mon, Rakhine, Karen and Shan ethnic groups living there. But we, as an individual ethnic political party, are not able to win the election in those divisions. Yet, if we form FUP we will able to win the elections in the divisions too,” said one attendee.
Another of one of the six points is to object the Proportional Representation System (PRS) because it hinders ethnic political parties within their respective regions from fully developing.
The signing of the six-point statement by NBF’s executive member parties came on the last day of the June 11-12 meeting at the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) office in Shan state capital of Taunggyi.
The executive member parties were: Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, Kayan National Party, All Mon Regions Democracy Party, Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, Plao-Swor Democratic Party, Chin National Party, and Inn National Development Party.
The other ethnic political parties present as observers were: Danu Nationalities Democracy Party, Wa Democratic Party, Pa’O National League Party, Ta’aung (Palaung) National Party, Asho Chin National Party, Tailaing National Development Party, Wa National United Party and Ethnic National Development Party.
The Mon Democracy Party (MDP) is not prepared to contest the 2015 general elections yet, according to party leaders.
The NBF, formerly called the Nationalities Brotherhood Forum, was started in January of 2011.
