The Nationalities Brotherhood Forum, an ethnic alliance, issued a statement on November 11 expressing their willingness for the emergence of federal system in Burma.
After a two-day meeting held on November 10th to 11th, the Nationalities Brotherhood Forum issued a six-point-statement – one of the points said that ‘federalism is not separatism’.
Mahn Aung Pyi Sone, vice chairman of the Plao-Swor Democratic Party, a member party of the NBF spoke to Karen News.
“People are now talking about what federalism means. Some people see it as separatism. We want people to know that the ethnic nationalities want a federalism that will unite us, as a whole.”
Aside from federalism, the NBF statement noted that the proportional electoral system may not be suitable for voters in the 2015 national election, that it now was unacceptable to change State names, the government needs to deal carefully with the conflict in Arankan and welcomed the United States President Barrack Obama to Burma.
During the NBF meeting, representatives from the Tailaing National Development Party, Danu Nationalities Democracy Party, Asho Chin National Party, Inn National Development Party, Pa-O National League Party, Taaung (Palaung) National Party and the Wa Democratic Party were among the 40 participants.
According to NBF sources, all the ethnic parties who took part in the meeting agreed that ‘federalism is not separatism’.
The NBF was formed in January 2011 and members include the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, the Chin National Party, the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, the All Mon Region Democracy Party, the Plao-Swor Democratic Party and the Kayan National Party.
At the conclusion of the two-day meeting the Nationalities Brotherhood Forum changed their name to Nationalities Brotherhood Federation.
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