Nai Banyar Aung interviewed Nai Tala Non, Chair of the Mon Unity Party, after the NLD representative won his seat in the recent election. The NLD called on the MUP (and other ethnic parties) to work together for the sake of a democratic federal union.
Question: What do you say in response to the NLD?
Answer: The NLD ‘s invitation is very good. Before the invitation came, I said within the party that this is the way to go. I would like to say that the way the NLD government has dealt with ethnic issues in our country in the past is completely wrong. If we continue like this, civil war will expand, and the fighting will become more intense.That’s why we have to change the format.
Another point is that R2P (Responsibility to Protect ) is almost certain to enter into the discussions . If R2P cames about, our country would be like Yugoslavia. If that happens, the country may be in a state of fragmentation . I am worried that the NLD’s invitation is late, but perhaps not too late, at the moment.
Recognizing federal democracy on ethnic issues; This is the only way to recognize ethnic equality and self-determination. In our party, I often explain to Nai Laye Tama (Joint Secretary-1) this is the way to go. There is no other way to go. The NLD’s offer of such a position is a very reasonable course.
But we are waiting to see the attitude of the government and we have to see if the military are willing to accept this offer. Burmese nationalism has dominated our country for more than 70 years. To this day such arbitrary influence is no longer possible. If they continue to do that the confederation will break up and separate states will be formed.
So reforms will have to be made and we have to wait to see how they reform. I do not believe all Burmese political leaders, but it is possible that they are now compromising with the ethnic groups in response to their general crisis.
We continue to wait and see how the NLD government expresses its stance on ethnic nationalities towards national unity and national reconciliation.
