Statement by the United Nationalities Federal Council, October 22, 2014

The members of the Council formed by the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) First Congress, held its first general meeting from October 20 to 22, at a certain place on the Thai Burma border. Except representatives of a member organization, representatives of all other member organizations attended the meeting in force. We issue this statement for wider public’s knowledge of the work plans and positions adopted by the first meeting of the Council.

1. The work plans of the UNFC departments; (a) Research and Legal Department, (b) Foreign Affairs Department, (c) Finance Department, (d) Defense Department, (e) Organizing, Information and Publicity Department, and (f) Relief and Rehabilitation Department – have been deliberated on and laid down.

2. Future work plans relevant to the current conditions have been laid down, after deliberation on the state of affairs of countries interconnected with our country, the domestic situation, situation of our ethnic armed resistance organizations and the situation of negotiations between the government’s Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC) and the ethnic organizations’ Nationwide Ceasefire Coordinating Team (NCCT), for the signing of Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.

3. In the general analysis of the political situation of our country, which is composed of various ethnic nationalities, we find that civil war has been raging in the country for nearly 70 years, due to the forcible practice of chauvinism and fake union system by successive governments in power. As a result of the civil war, people from all ethnic nationalities have faced all kinds of problems and difficulties, and have lost the democratic and human rights. Currently, so long as the 2008 Constitution cannot be amended in consonant with the situation, it is our view that the people will not be able to escape from this predicament.

4. As the successive governments, in power, have been trying to resolve the political problems mainly by military means, instead of resolving them through dialogue and negotiation, there is still no resolution up to this day. Though the government is saying currently that it is undertaking to resolve the problems by political means, because of its backtracking actions, in addition to lack of equality and fairness, the negotiations are in a logjam.

5. Moreover, we note that Myanmar Tatmadaw has been launching military offensives constantly and battles are breaking out in the Kachin, Shan and Karen States, and it is taking advantage of the situation to engage in military preparations in other ethnic nationalities’ States. For that reason, doubt has been growing within us to ask whether it really desires to have peace in the country.

6. For the success of peace process, we, the UNFC, will continue to find means and ways, through consultation, for cooperation with our brother ethnic resistance organizations that are not UNFC member organizations, and the democratic forces.

7. For the benefit of our country and the entire people, we extend our hands, urge and invite all the patriotic forces to join hands firmly and strive together for the establishment of the most basic lasting, ethnic unity and peace in the country.

United Nationalities Federal Council

Contact Points:

Nai Han Tha Vice Chairman (1) Phone: +66(0)80-503-0849

Khu Oo Reh General Secretary Phone: +66(0)84-805-1344

Col. Hkhun Okker Joint General Secretary (1) Phone: +66(0)81-950-2158

Download the statement (PDF)

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