An ethnic coalition organization has called on the government to help support minorities by allowing them to hold national-level political dialogues.
The government should not “neglect” the desires of the ethnic people to be involved in the peace process, said the Nationalities Brotherhood Federation, which is comprised of 24 ethnic political parties from seven states.
“We urge the government to allow ethnic people to hold ethnic-based national-level political dialogues in suitable areas in line with their desire. We urge the government not to neglect the desire of the ethnic people who still have not been allowed to hold the ethnic-based national-level political dialogue,” the NBF said in a statement following a May 17 meeting in Yangon.
National-level political dialogues are restricted to areas where the main ethnic armed group has signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). The dialogues can be held regionally, ethnically or topically.
So far, dialogues have successfully been held in Tanintharyi and Bago Regions, and Shan and Chin states.
But the government has not given permission to hold dialogues in Rakhine or Kachin states, due to sensitivity concerns and ongoing fighting respectively. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) has also not signed a ceasefire.
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by Laignee Barron
