Govt pushing for open, all-inclusive reforms, Thein Sein tells political parties
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The government wants to build a new Myanmar that has an independent and transparent all-inclusive political process and economic competitiveness on equal terms, President Thein Sein said at a meeting with different political parties on Sunday.
This is the third time that the president has met up with representatives from 18 political parties in forums held in Nay Pyi Taw to discuss conflicts and peace issues.
In the meeting, Thein Sein said the country’s reform process was not being implemented by the government alone, but through cooperation with the Parliament, political parties, community-based organisations, the public, the military and ethnic armed groups willing to build peace.
At the meeting, the secretary of Chin National Party Nge Pee urged the government to also allocate state funding for other religions as well.
“Our party wants the Religious Affairs Ministry’s budget to be shared with other religions such as Christian and Islam, not just among Buddhists alone. Only then can Myanmar prove that it has no religious discrimination.
“We also urged the union government to be accountable for the issue in which a Chin village in the Indian province bordering Phalam in Myanmar’s Chin state was set on fire,” Nge Pee said.
Khin Maung Swe, chairman of National Democratic Force, also called on the government allow the extension of the farmland registration period to ensure that agricultural loans really go to farmers, as well as ease restrictions on power sharing among states and regions in order to achieve peace.
Thein Sein responded by saying that achieving peace required cooperation from the public, political institutions, the military and civic organisations.
Than Than Nu, general secretary of Democratic Party (Myanmar) said that there were many problems at lower levels despite the president’s plans for national development.
“The president has only been able to assure that things are improved at the executive sector,” she said.
Rakhine Nationalities Development Party chairman Dr Aye Maung urged the president to hold peace talks with the Rakhine State Liberation Army.
He also commented on possible riots, that could stem from the controversial issue of licences for development affairs in Buthidaung and Maungdaw in Rakhine state.
