The Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) kicked off its sixth congress on March 19 and the central committee will be reorganized and important future plans will be set down during the congress, according to the vice-chair Col Solomon.
Col Solomon said the congress will focus on the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) implementation processes and regional development issues.
“We need to carry out special dialogues like the national-level political dialogue as stated in the NCA. Then, we have to carry out regional development. We are drafting a plan to develop the Lahu area, but we haven’t drafted it in details yet. Since this is a congress, we also have to hold an election. Some positions may be changed and some positions may remain the same,” he said.
The conference will be held until March 20 and the central committee and the central executive committee will be expanded and restructured.
The LDU previously comprised an 11-member central committee with two representatives from the youth organization and two representatives from the women's organization in the leadership. Now, the central committee will have over 20 members including central executive committee members and auxiliary central committee members.
Col Solomon continued that important future plans for the implementation of political and development tasks in the Lahu area will be set down during the congress.
“Now, we have signed the NCA and we have to carry out practical implementations so we have arrived at a crucial time. Also, the Union Peace Conference will be held soon. We need to make preparations to submit the Lahu’s needs to the Union Peace Conference via the UPDJC (Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee). We will set down our plans and discuss, decide, and amend them during this congress,” he added.
The LDU was reestablished by its chair U Phon Tint Shin in 2008 and the congress has been held every four years. Kyar Khun Sar currently serves as the chairman since 2012.
Before the LDU was established, the Lahu National Unity Party (LNUP) was established at the Thai-Myanmar borders in 1973 and it was reorganized as the Lahu National Organization (LNO) in 1976.
The Lahu National Development Party (LNDP) and the LNO merged in 1997 and established the Lahu Democratic Front (LDF). Then, it was reorganized as the LDU in 2008.
