Chit Min Tun
CNI Article
19 March 2024
Having said that federalism in Myanmar was nothing short of secession, the Tatmadaw conducted a coup d'état on 2nd March, 1962 when Myanmar was enjoying full democracy under the government led by U Nu.
However, because of inequalities in the distribution of administrative power and natural resources, non-Burman nationalities demanded to use federalism as well as to distribute administrative power and national resources.
After saying that the federalism that was demanded was was equal to demanding to secede and disintegrate the country, the Tatmadaw led by U Ne Win seized power and silenced the voice of federalism.
While the AA leader Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing
However, when the government led by U Thein Sein came to power, the federalism was accepted under the title of peace, which the Tatmadaw expressed. However, building peace and implementation of federalism that have been started since 2012 have not been successful until 2024.After that, the rule of law has been destroyed throughout the country and the armed conflict has grown more.
At the same time, the military strength of the Tatmadaw has also become weak and the Tatmadaw has become weak in administrative sector. So, some armed groups fighting against the Tatmadaw are saying the words - self-determination and autonomy and have started implementing.
There are two kinds of self-determinations and the one has the rights to secede and the other has no rights to do so. Some EAOs were talking about self-determination with no rights to secede and others, one with the rights to do so in the past. However, they are even talking about autonomy now.
The Arakan Army (AA) has said that it would make an attempt to get the status that is not lower than that the United Wa State Army (UWSA) has won. At present in Myamar, EAOs that have won the confederation status that is higher than the federalism are the UWSA and the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).
Now, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) has started implementing confederation.
While seeing the UWSA
"As our seven NCA signatories, we'll have to start administering the regions that we have seized control of with self-governing system of the self-determination. We'll have to carry out for administration, security, economy, education, health, livelihood and other services for the people living in our regions. We'll have to build a federal democratic union step by step. On the other hand, we, the seven NCA signatories need to perform things that we all agree together and to do those we don't agree separately." said General Yawd Serk, chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) at the meeting of the seven NCA signatories held from 17th to 19th March, 2024.
In the same way, ethnic nationalities would have a thought beyond federalism in 2025 and a federal union should be built quickly, said Lt-Gen Gunmaw, vice chairman of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) when he met with Sr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in 2018.
Moreover, If the situation was formed to establish a country, Ta'ang people would have been ready, said Brig-Gen Ta Bon Kyaw, general secretary of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on 18th August, 2022.
While seeing Brig-Gen Ta Bon Kyaw, general secretary of the TNLA
" Political demands will higher. And then, according to regional geopolitics and global politics, if this country couldn't changed into a federal union, it could break up into small countries. So, Our Ta'ang people need to think about it thoroughly. We need to prepare thoroughly. When a federal union is built, we need to carry out to be ready as a state and to protect our people. Otherwise, because of geopolitics and global politics or as revolutions are stronger, if small countries emerged, we need to prepare to build a country of our own" said Brig-Gen Ta Bon Kyaw.
All things considered, EAOs review the current Myanmar politics, weakness of the Tatmadaw, the public opposition to the Tatmadaw and international situation, and are making preparations to build confederations.
Otherwise, they might imagine to build the status that is higher than confederation. The Tatmadaw that opposed to the federalism and seized power, considering that it could disintegrate the country - how it will solve the situation in which confederation has started looming over federalism is very interesting.
