Everyone waits for six-party talks: Aye Maung

“Six-way talks are essential. It is a must. The Union Parliament has called for six-party talks as they need to be held. Whether the government wants to amend the charter is linked with the success of these talks,” the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party president said.

The first six-party talks, attended by President Thein Sein, both parliamentary Speakers,  Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services General Min Aung Hlaing, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Dr Aye Maung, representing ethnic groups, were held at the presidential residence on April 10.

He added that amendments to each section of the Constitution could only be made after the talks. The president and the commander-in-chief needed to accept and understand that point, he added, and only then could the political crisis be solved.

Aye Maung said: “This is a political crisis. The activities of the political parties in and out of Parliament and all the armed national groups demonstrate the same attitude towards charter change.”

But it was questionable whether the next round of six-party talks would happen, he added.

“Some sections of the charter should be amended now. And the remaining sections should be amended in the future. Charter change requires the signatures of 20 per cent of MPs. Ethnic minority parties and the National League for Democracy will sign it along with the Union Solidarity and Development Party. The USDP alone is not enough. We all demand it. We will choose the way of amending the charter. At the same time, further talks are still needed. We all agree that charter change is impossible without a collective effort.”

An urgent proposal to amend Tables 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 without a referendum as described in Section 436 (b) of the Constitution has been submitted to the Parliament.