CNI News
27 Oct 2022
With the movement to topple the military, there are differing views on the viability of the formation of a federal army.
The National Unity Government is working towards a federal army but it is not clear how much success has been achieved so far, Political Observer U Than Soe Naing told the CNI.
He said, “The NUG is working under the slogan of forming a federal army but I don’t know how much success has been achieved so far. I generally understand that anti-junta forces are cooperating with one another. I think they have yet to reach the level of a federal army. It might be a viable option when their draft federal constitution has been adopted. Despite their claims, they have yet to achieve success.”
An EAO Conference in Maijaryan in progress in July, 2016.
Member of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and NUG Foreign Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung told Myanmar Now on 21st March, 2021 that the CRPH had been holding negotiations with all ethnic armed organization to build a federal union and to form a federal army and about 80 percent of the negotiations had been completed.
It is impossible to form a federal army without reforming security policies, EAO Leader Col Khun Okkar told the CNI.
He said, “It is just a daydream. How will the security system of the country be reformed. In reforming the security system, security policy must also be restructured. Only then, will it be possible to form a federal army. A federal army cannot be built without reforming security policies. Security policies can be restructured when agreements have been reached in negotiations.”
The formation of the FUA in 2011.
To fight against the military, a federal union army (UFA) was once formed with 12 EAOs including the KNU, the KIA, the SSPP, the KNPP, the CNF in 2011 but it was not viable.
EAOs will converge into a united front during the Spring Revolution, China-Myanmar affairs analyst Dr Hla Kyaw Zaw told the CNI.
She said, “Working for a united front rather than a federal army will make them closer to each other. For example, some groups cooperate with the KIA while others join hands with the KNU based on their geographical proximity and launch joint operations. This may pave way for the future federal army. It is impossible to form a federal army overnight.”
Currently, clashes have erupted between the military and joint forces of the PDFs and EAOs including the KNU, the KIA, the CNF and the KNPP in Karen State, Kayah (Karenni) State, Chin State, Magway Region and Sagaing Region.
