chairman of the United Nationalities Federation Council (UNFC).
“It is not easy to fix the 2008 constitution at Hluttaw. When the government meets with the ethnic armed groups, the groups also request to amend the constitution. If the constitution is changed, the Tatmadaw is worried that it will lose its power. So, it is possible that is why it keeps the fighting,” said Nai Hongsar.
Nai Hongsar also said that at the moment, the current government seems to be trying hard with the 8 ethnic armed groups, signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreement, to finish the peace program. The government is, on the surface, holding political talks with the signatory ethnic armed groups. The government is also working out the outcomes and agreements from the ceasefire agreements, and is making it difficult for the government to fix.
“The basic framework must be prioritized while drawing the framework of political talks per the NCA timeline, on January 14, which is 90 days after NCA inking. When it is done, political talks can begin. After the first political talk is held, we will know what it needs. By that, the future government will be able to maintain better when they hold political talks. They can also fix it,” said the Union Minister U Aung Min, at the first conference of Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) at Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) on November 24.
A 4-day conference of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) was held by representatives of government, ethnic armed groups and political parties, at the MPC. The 10-point framework and draft were discussed at the conference.
This week, UNFC will hold its anniversary conference in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. At the conference, the topic of re-forming the UNFC, as well as the UNFC’s views on the peace talks by the government and eight signatories will be in discussion.
UNFC will continue to hold talks whether with this current government or new government, said Nai Hongsar, who is also vice-chairman of New Mon State Party (NMSP).
