National reconciliation, internal peace on UNA's agenda

Following its landslide victory in Myanmar’s general election, NLD leaders offered to hold a meeting with the leaders of the UNA.

Aye Tha Aung did not mention when the NLD would meet the UNA leaders.

“Aung San Suu Kyi said the NLD will institute a new administration through negotiations with ethnic [minority] leaders and that national reconciliation will be the key issue. The NLD offered to meet ethnic leaders. We are willing to meet with the NLD. We face many political challenges, especially in ethnic [minority] affairs. These challenges include the National Ceasefire Agreement, the peace process and the establishment of the federal union. The meeting is likely to cover [these issues],” Aye Tha Aung said.

The UNA is an umbrella group comprising of eight ethnic armed organisations. Leading it is the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) which won 40 seats in the general election. The Rakhine National Party won 44 seats, the Zomi Democracy Federation Party won 6 seats and the Mon National Party won 3 seats in Myanmar’s national and regional parliaments.

“Eight ethnic organisations signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement, but 13 have yet to sign the NCA. The NLD needs to meet ethnic parties and ethnic armed organisations. When the NLD takes office, peace will be at the top of the agenda. The NLD has also proposed meetings with the president, the commander-in-chief and the parliament speaker. These meetings will lead to national reconciliation. The NLD should have good relations with the commander-in-chief,” Aye Tha Aung said, adding that the NLD will try to make constitutional amendments.

In its election campaign, the NLD vowed to place emphasis on freedom, civil rights and the establishment of a federal union.