“The UNFC will have meeting[s] with domestic political parties for two days, and then we [the UNFC] will continue the [ meeting]. [The] UNFC will meet with [political parties] on August 29th and 30th. After that, we will continue [our assembly] on August 31st and September 1st, wherein we will continue to discuss that which we have not finished discussing,” said UNFC General Secretary Nai Hong Sar.
Nai Hong Sar continued that the UNFC would meet with several parliamentarians who had won the 1990 election, as well as members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), 88 Generation Students, and 88 Annual Decision Implementation Committee; all of whom met in Chiang Mai, Thailand where the UNFC is holding its meeting.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, chairman of the NLD, sent a signed letter to the UNFC’s Congress stating that she believed that the UNFC would be able to negotiate and talk about Burma’s political framework, in order to establish lasting peace.
The letter also stated that it is suitable to hold such a meeting as the UNFC is working hard to create a nationwide ceasefire agreement, as well as negotiating to solve the political conflict plaguing the Union of Burma.
At its first Congress, which is held every three years, the UNFC will discuss options for leaders to run next term, and accept any new members of armed groups.
Nai Hong Sar continued that, at the moment, the Kokang armed group is the UNFC’s new temporary member, and that the UNFC will discuss whether to accept the Kokang armed group as a permanent member.
More than one hundred representatives were present at the UNFC’s annual assembly, including UNFC members; the Kachin Independent Organization (KIO); the Karen National Union (KNU); the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP); the New Mon State Party (NMSP); the Chin National Front (CNF); the Shan State Army-North (SSP/SSA); the Arakan National Council (ANC); the Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization; the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF); the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU); the Wa National Organization (WNO); as well as other groups connected with UNFC members, such as the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA); the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Center (KNU/KNLA-PC); and the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) Notably, the National Democratic Alliance Army, and the United Wa State Army (UWSA) were absent from the UNFC meeting.
The UNFC was founded in February 2011, reaching its third year this past February. The council has been occupied with continuous peace talks, and is only able to hold its annual congress meeting recently, as it must wait six months to convene after being in existence for three years.
