Building a democratic federal union is the solution to resolve armed conflicts: President

13 February 2017
Building a democratic federal union is the solution to resolve armed conflicts: President
Photo: Mizzima

President Htin Kyaw said in his message on the 70th Union Day that the main solution to resolve armed conflicts and build national reconciliation was to build a ‘Democratic Federal Union’.
The message was read on February 12 by Yangon Region Government Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein at a ceremony held in Yangon.
“The fundamental building of a democratic federal union is union spirit. Union spirit means the political will and firm determination of building a union through coordination and cooperation among all ethnicities in the country. We cannot build a democratic federal union without this firm union spirit and without an enlightened and vibrant union spirit,” the President’s message said.
Politics and economics go hand in hand for development of the country and the most important point in the fundamentals of our economic policy are national reconciliation, the President’s message further read.
Similarly, the 70th Union Day held at the Panglong stone monument in Panglong, southern Shan State, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi urged ethnic armed forces which had not yet signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) to sign the agreement for the cessation of ongoing armed conflict in the nation.
“I’d like to request our ethnic armed groups which have not yet signed NCA to sign this document with self-confidence and with a brave heart. Please join our 21st Century Panglong Conference. Please consider how much our people will enjoy peace of mind in their hearts and how much they will thank you and how much they will be pleased by seeing you joining this conference,” the State Counsellor said in her address.
In his message on Union Day, the President urged all to carry out the four main objectives of the 70th Union Day namely enlightened and vibrant union spirit, building concrete national unity, the emergence of a democratic federal union and uplift of the livelihoods of the people.