“Negotiations must be held until a satisfactory solution is found for constitutional amendment. Just this morning, Arakhan National Party Chairman Dr. Aye Maung was selected, through a process of drawing lots, to represent all ethnic Hluttaw [Parliament] representatives in the six-sector talk,” Dr. Banyar Aung Moe told IMNA.
Participants of the six-sector talk will include President U Thein Sein, Chairperson of the National League for Democracy Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Speaker of Pyithu Hluttaw Thura U Shwe Mann, Speaker of Amyotha Hluttaw U Khin Aung Myint, Commander in Chief of Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hliang, and Dr. Aye Maung, who will represent Burma’s ethnic political parties.
“Holding the six-sector talk is a good thing,” said Nai Ngwe Thein, chairman of the Mon National Party (MNP), “selecting an ethnic representative through drawing lots should also be a good thing. Requests were not accepted to have a tripartite talk between the government, armed groups, and political parties; we can say the situation is improving as the six-sector talk is going to take place.”
Nai Ngwe Thein continued that, more than a year ago, when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi proposed a four-sector talk with Hluttaw, the government, and the Tatmadaw [Burmese government army] to search for solutions to the country’s political conflicts, it did not seem as though the request was approved.
According to U Aye Thar Aung, an Arakanese leader of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), the upcoming six-sector talk should center on discussion concerning amendments of the 2008 Constitution, national ceasefire, national peace, and ethnic issues.
Although Burma’s ethnic minorities will be represented at the negotiation table, many feel that there should be more than one ethnic representative, in order to accurately communicate the range of opinions and grievances found throughout the country’s seven ethnic states.
“It [the six-sector talks] should include more representatives from ethnic groups. The ethnic groups live in seven states, so to solve the problem for all, [the talk] should include more than one [ethnic representative]. It is really necessary to find solutions to ethnic issues, including amendment of the 2008 Constitution,” said U Aye Thar Aung, in an interview with IMNA.
A fourteen-sector talk held on October 31st, which included participation of the President, two chairmen of Hluttaw, the Senior General of the Defense Force, opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and leaders of Burma’s ethnic political parties, failed to produce a sufficient outcome.
It has been reported by media groups that in his opening speech at a November 26th meeting in Rangoon, between the Union government and various political parties, President U Thein Sein remarked that everyone bears responsibility for issues surrounding constitutional amendment.
