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MNDF chairman asks cease-fire groups to demand ethnic rights at resumed NC
Mon 24 Jan 2005,
IMNA
Mon National Democratic Front chairman Nai Tun Thein has asked
cease-fire groups at the next National Convention (NC) to maintain their NC standing and together demand greater ethnic rights from the Burmese government.
"Even though the Burmese military government has their seven point
roadmap, it seems they did not plan to really reform Burma," he said.
"They (the cease-fire groups) need to demand as much as they can and
stand up for the federal union wanted by all ethnic nationalities. What the cease-fire groups demanded appeared to test the Burmese military government at the May 17, 2004 NC," he continued.
"The cease-fire groups should not wait and rely on what the government says and does. They should strongly demand what ethnic people really want, a federal union," he continued.
According to Nai Tun Thein, the cease-fire groups will leave the NC if their demand is denied again, and cease-fire groups are also prepared to avoid government pressure.
In 2004, 13 cease-fire groups joined together and demanded that the
Burmese government give greater ethnic rights when they draft the constitution for Burma.
But the demand was denied by the military government, so the groups will fight for it again at the coming resumed NC, according to the cease-fire group leader.
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