UNFC’s Vice Chairman Nai Hong Sar told reporters the workshop ‘Concepts, Case Studies, and Implication for a Federal Reform Process in Burma’ was held in order to develop ideas about how federalism can work for ethnic groups in Burma; partly in preparation for the upcoming  21st Century Panglong Conference planned for late August.

During the workshop, international experts presented examples of federalist countries across the world.

Nai Hong Sar said: “We, the ethnic people, want federal system, but a precise and strong model has not been set down yet. We did it once in the past. We drafted a federal constitution, but we were unable to work it for a long time now.”

The three-day event that ran from July 6-8 covered topics ranging from decentralisation, duty and authority, joint administration, the distribution of power and bottom-level decision making.

It was attended by both ethnic armed group leaders that signed the Nationwide Cease Agreement and those that did not.

According to Nai Hong Sar, a federally administered country is desired by ethnic populations. However, not one defined by geography alone but ethnicity as many groups are dispersed in different locations across the nation. It’s very important to establish a federalist system that fosters unity amongst the various ethnicities, he said.

“If we can’t build the federal system and we continue to practice the unitary system, the ethnic people would slowly be destroyed. Also, the armed conflict between the government and the ethnic people cannot be solved. It would be impossible for our country to have peace and become developed. So, the crucial issue in solving our country’s problem is how to implement a federal system that can be accepted by all ethnic people. This is the most important issue.”

Reporting by Network Media Group
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff