Mon News Agency editor Mehm Paing recently interviewed Nai Layi Tama, the Mon Unity Party (MUP) Joint Secretary -1. The interview focused on policy updates coming out of the Mon Unity Party (MUP) Central Committee meeting held on October 4th and 5th.

Question: The National League for Democracy (NLD) held a committee meeting recently followed by a statement they released covering a number of issues, including ethnic groups, and the NLD perspective on Federalism. What is the Mon Unity Party (MUP) reaction to this statement?

Answer: In reviewing the NLD statement, there are a few points relevant to our ethnic people. First, the NLD plans to establish an ethnic affairs department. We are concerned such a department is not the same thing as cooperating with ethnic groups.

Second, the NLD is developing their 2020 election strategy and that will inform their project/work into the future. According to our observations, the NLD led government has not been able to fulfill its 2015 election promises, the peace process is stalling, and the rule of law is weak.

Nai Layi Tama, Mon Unity Party Joint Secretary -1 (photo: NMA)

Third is their statement about democracy. According to the NLD, their priority is to achieve democracy before implementing federalism.

There have been no documents or statements released from the NLD that discuss ethnic people’s need for equality. Similarly there is little said about how to establish federalism or what is needed for the reformation of the 2008 constitution.

It is worrying that the NLD might lose countless votes in ethnic areas in the 2020 national election. The NLD proposal to build an ethnic affairs department is, I think an attempt to gain people’s votes in ethnic areas. Our concern is that such department would not advance political policy that adequately or cooperatively represents the interests of ethnic people.

Question: What is your comment on the NLD position to pursue the federalism only after achieving democracy?

Answer: We do not believe this is the right approach, and it is unacceptable for us. Our country has two main political issues which are democracy and self-determination called federalism. They are two sides of the same coin and it should be one coin and one single thing at one single place. So we need to find a solution for both democracy and federal problems at the same time, not one at a time and separately.

Let’s say, we got democracy in our country, there would be still no peace or stability if we do not have the right federal structure. Democracy could not endure in a country where there is no peace. So, we cannot separate democracy and federalism. Neither can survive independently. So, we ethnic groups will not accept the NLD’s stand which is to go for federalism only after achieving democracy.

Question: To what extent does the NLD attitude towards a Federal Union affect the current peace process?

Answer: Our ethnic party has lost confidence in the NLD perspective on the federal approach.

The NLD has been shouting “Federal Union” “Federal Union” “Federal Union Establishment” but their proposed 2008 constitution amendments do not demonstrate room for a federal system.

Ethnic people are losing their confidence in NLD, and this situation impacts the current peace-building process.

Question: Did NLD have policies regarding ethnic people and an Ethnic Affairs Department before?

Answer: As far as we know, NLD never had any policies related to ethnic people. They do not have any now. The fact is that ethnic people supports for the NLD is on the decline and this is not a good sign for the upcoming 2020 national election. I think, proposing to establish an ethnic affairs department is an attempt to gain ethnic people votes. It is like giving fish food before fishing. It was the same during the 2015 election, where ethnic members were used by the party. No ethnic affairs department ever existed in the NLD party structure before.

Question: What is the MUP opinion regarding an alliance of ethnic parties such as The United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) and Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF) towards the NLD?

The NLD does not have exact policies or opinions towards ethnic people, the NLD and ethnic parties have been growing distant since the 2015 election. Now, they seem to have drifted even further apart.

In the future, it won’t be possible that ethnic parties and NLD can forge an alliance. They [each] will walk in their own directions. It might be that ethnic parties will join together and pursue a collective path together. Our parties has no expectations to cooperate with NLD because we have seen their true attitude.

Ethnic voters should be careful. The NLD’s strategy to establish an ethnic affairs department is an attempt to avoid losing their vote. They are using their ethnic members to beg for votes. But it is important that we ethnic people not become confused. But if the NLD were able to share, that would be a benefit for our ethnic people.

Question: What about other Bamar dominant parties, do they have a policy regarding ethnic parties?

Answer: We have heard both the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the People’s Party speak about their policies to the media that involve forging alliances with ethnic parties. However, there has been no direct discussions with us regarding this issue.