CNI News
3 July 2025
Most people in Myanmar still do not have a clear understanding of what democracy is, the Karen People's Party Chairperson Daw Nant Khin Aye Oo told CNI News.
In Myanmar, on February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the NLD government and has seized power, claiming that it was attempting to form a government without resolving the election voter list dispute.
Then, the people protested and demanded the return of democracy, and they are demanding it through armed revolution.
Most people in Myanmar still do not have a clear understanding of democracy and are only interested in changing from military rule, said Daw Nant Khin Aye Oo.
While the Peace Forum was being held
"When we were going to change from a one-party system to a multi-party democracy, most people in the country weren't ready yet. They just wanted to change from military rule. They didn't have a clear understanding of what democracy was. It was a bit awkward. In the villages, people don't know anything about democracy. They just understood that democracy was only a name of a person. If democracy meant undiscipline freedom, then it would be very dangerous. Democracy is, in reality, about rules and regulations, whether it's about taxes or anything else, everyone has to follow the rules. But in our country, there has been rule of law. There are still discriminations among the ruling class and social classes. These need to be reformed." she said.
Currently, Myanmar is divided into groups, those who want to build a democratic federal union and those who want to build a federal democratic union.
The NCA stipulates the establishment of a union based on democracy and federalism. Many people are unclear about the future federal system they want in Myanmar, and democracy is something that people interpret as they see fit, and it should not be interpreted in a wishful thinking manner, Dr. Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), told CNI News.
While seeing those who were demanding democracy (photo: Frontier Myanmar)
"Democracy is something that people define in their own way. They argue about democracy in different ways. Is it typical democracy or socialist democracy, etc. The war is long. War refugees who have been abroad and refugees within the country, are more likely to be in the opposite side, both in terms of education and ideology. We need to have people who can think and reason from all sides. Is social democracy wrong or liberal democracy wrong? In our country, we use one term: democracy. We use another term: federalism. Some ethnic groups favor the federal side. Some ethnic groups are more inclined towards federalism. So, even if they don't get democracy, they will stick to federalism. They will carry out for the right to self-governance, which is the right to self-determination, for their own region, their own people, their own territory. They do not accept multi-party democracy. They will rule their region with one party. They are more attracted to their own interests and to the interests of their own group," he said.
Although the current peace and political discussions in Myanmar are seeking answers on how to build the country, no specific agreements have been reached yet.
