The resistance-led National Unity Government (NUG), the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), and four ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have established the Steering Council for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF), forming a major resistance coalition.
The March 30 announcement said the NUG and CRPH joined forces with key ethnic armed organizations—the Karen National Union (KNU), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Chin National Front (CNF), and Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)—to form the SCEF.
The SCEF’s founding statement said the body is built on three pillars—representation of states and federal units; representation of EAOs and the public; and representation of women—and aims to facilitate discussion and the sharing of military, political, federal, and institutional perspectives among member groups.
Notably, the Arakan Army (AA) and Shan, Mon, and Pa-O EAOs involved in the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) and the anti-coup resistance did not join the new coalition.
The formation of the SCEF aims to accelerate the revolution, secure an early victory, and establish a transitional government to advance the building of a federal democratic union. Its vision and strategic goal are to shape a new political landscape that will ultimately dismantle all forms of authoritarian rule, including military dictatorships.
To achieve these objectives, the military and political activities of each member group will be coordinated and carried out with legitimacy, unity, accountability, and responsible leadership.
The SCEF also aims to place all armed forces under the full control of a democratically elected civilian government and to abolish the junta-favored 2008 Constitution. In addition, its objectives include drafting a new constitution based on a federal democratic system acceptable to all stakeholders and building a new federal democratic union in accordance with that framework. It also seeks to implement processes to deliver justice for victims of conflict-related abuses and to ensure fair judicial mechanisms during the transition period.
The SCEF will uphold the principle of shared sovereignty—where power resides with the people and is divided between the federal government and the states or federal units—in implementing its agenda.
Its statement also said political decisions would be made under a collective leadership framework reflecting the views of EAOs, democratic resistance forces, women’s groups, and public representatives.
The SCEF also said it aims to implement a “one policy, one strategy” principle based on mutual respect and recognition of differences among its members. The newly-formed coalition said it will continue working with partners and allies to achieve its goals by balancing military, political, and administrative efforts.
