CNI News

16 Mar 2023

Attempts to create a Bamar State is likely to create risks and disintegration of the union, Political Observer U Ye Tun told the CNI.

If Bamar State is to be established, some other ethnic minorities are likely to demand establishment states for them, he added.

He told the CNI, "It is dangerous to establish a Bamar State. Some minorities in some states are likely to call for the establishment their own states, leading to the disintegration of the union. So, leaders and politicians are required to understand the situation."

Ethnic youths in Maijaryan in July, 2016.

On the 76th Anniversary of Union Day, which fell on 12th February, Representative Lawy Poe Nge said that it was important to establish a Bamar State for ethnic equality.

During peace talks with ethnic armed organizations in 2022, the State Administration Council seemed to disagree with EAOs, which proposed the establishment of a Bamar State.

To build a federal union in the future, it is necessary to establish a Bamar State and symbols representing the Bamar people, Rakhine Politician U Pe Than told the CNI.

Representatives of EAOs sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement on 15 October, 2015.

U Pe Than told the CNI, "In federal countries, regardless of their sizes, all states are considered as a unit. If they don't want to establish a Bamar State, it shows that they have the mentality of rulers. Bamar politicians and generals have had such a mentality in successive eras. Whenever other ethnic groups call for establishing a Bamar State, they have always said that will lead to disintegration of the union. This has nothing to do with the size of a state. It will be just a federal unit. Seven regions are likely to make up a Bamar State. However, we said some regions like Yangon Region are national states because all ethnic groups reside in the region at the parliament. If there is not a Bamar State, characteristics of a union will not be achieved because there is a Bamar State. When flags are flown in regions, they raise the union flags. There is no such thing as a flag or a symbol representing the Bamar ethnic group. Bamar leaders and politicians are using the national flag as their own flag."

At the same time as some ethnic groups are calling for the establishment of a Bamar State, some minority groups including the Shanni, the Pa-O, the Ta'ang (Palaung), the Wa, the Lisu and the NDAA are also calling for the establishment of their own states.

Myanmar is currently made up of seven states and regions, five self-administered zones, a self-administered region and a union territory.