Opposing Military Regime: Parliament And Ethnic Armed Myanmar Prepare A Federal Union, Have Its Own Army

Myanmar military anti-coup protests. (Twitter / @ htza97)

JAKARTA - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Myanmar Parliamentary Representative Committee (CRPH) Zin Mar Aung revealed that discussions on the formation of a Myanmar federal union so far have been running smoothly.

"We have reached about 80 percent," said Zin Mar Aung, a member of parliament from the National League for Democracy (NLD), reported Myanmar Now.

The CRPH, which consists largely of lawmakers elected in last year's elections and ousted by Myanmar's military regime, has been negotiating with armed ethnic groups, political parties, and protest committees since it was formed.

"We are discussing how we can work together in a situation like this. We are trying to have one voice unite," said Zin Mar Aung.

The CRPH, he continued, was in talks with various armed ethnic groups, both individually and collectively, to reach an agreement on the conditions for forming a federal union.

Among those involved in the talks are the three main ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, which from the start supported the people against the military coup.

"The Karen National Union (KNU) Kachin Independence Army (KIA) under Kachin State, as well as the Restoration Council for Shan Stae (RCSS), and other groups that signed the National Armistice Agreement," said Zin.

"There are still suspicions from the past. We are working together to erase them and build trust. We are slowly starting to build some common ground now," he added.

The results of discussions with armed ethnic groups and other stakeholders will provide a good basis for future federal unions to fight against Myanmar's military regime.

One of the problems that need to be resolved immediately is the formation of a new federal army that is in line with the aspirations of the country as a whole.

"Working towards a federal union means we have to work to form a federal army, which must be guided by ethical standards. A true professional army will never act like thugs," he said.

As of Sunday, March 21, at least 248 people have died since Myanmar's military coup on February 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

Myanmar Coup. The VOI editorial team continues to monitor the political situation in that one of the ASEAN member countries. Casualties from civilians continue to fall. Readers can follow the news covering the Myanmar military coup by clicking this link.