Political bickering undermines unity: House speaker

Myanmar’s push for national reconciliation will not progress if rival political parties carry on fighting one another to the bitter end, said Thura Shwe Mann, speaker of the Union Parliament.

“Each party should cultivate mutual benefits. If every party seeks to defeat the other just like they did in the past, we will not achieve national unity and reconciliation. Without this prerequisite, we cannot realise peace,” he said while talking to legal experts in Yangon yesterday.

“Under the context of peace, we should not blame fighting between armed groups alone. We also need to ensure the coexistence of organisations. So, all the political parties must not fight each other. It is necessary for them to try and win elections with policies [rather than attacks].” 

Shwe Mann went on to state that legal experts should take the lead in the administrative branch in order to help improve the country’s situation.

Participants at the meeting included Deputy Education Minister Dr Zaw Min Aung, law professors and government officials.

There are 65 political parties in Myanmar, including the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party and the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party led by Aung San Suu Kyi. 

The NLD is now campaigning for charter change by holding public rallies and collecting signatures of supporters.

Speculation has spread that the ruling party has been behind a number of pro-Constitution rallies, demanding to uphold Section 59(F), but USDP deputy leader Htay Oo dismissed such speculation on Friday. The national government is also seeing difficulties in reaching a ceasefire agreement with armed ethnic groups.

Last Wednesday, the Karen National Union (KNU) delegation, led by chairperson Saw Mutu Sae Poe, met with President Thein Sein and Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw. The two sides discussed the necessity for the immediate implementation of a ceasefire agreement, according to Pado Mann Nyein Maung, a member of the KNU’s central executive committee.

The KNU also met with Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann.

Pado Mann Nyein Maung said after the meetings that the KNU will try to convince armed ethnic groups, comprising members and non-members of the National Ceasefire Coordination Team, to accede to a nationwide ceasefire.

“An immediate realisation of a ceasefire is necessary. The country’s leaders have talked earnestly about the country’s needs, which are to sign the ceasefire agreement and to carry out peace-building. We share the same views as them,” Pado Mann Nyein Maung said.

“There are many things that we must do. We will share the views of the government and the military at our upcoming meetings with ethnic groups. We will persuade them. We will negotiate with them directly and persuade them in order to immediately implement the ceasefire. When we meet with the armed ethnic groups, we also travelled to Wa and Mong La areas to meet with those who are not members of the NCCT. The reason why we went there is because the KNU wants the whole country to participate in the peace-building process,” he added.

The KNU is an armed ethnic group that has met five times with the president and six times with the commander-in-chief to discuss internal peace issues.