YANGON-The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) yesterday announced a statement that they’ve formed the Ethnic Affairs Committee (Central) comprising of 15 members.
It will be chaired by the Lower House MP In Htone Kha Naw Sam, from Myitkyina Township, Kachin State.
The Ethnic Affairs Committee (Central) was formed according to the decision of the Central Executive Meeting held at the NLD’s headquarter in Yangon on December 26th.
“The newly formed committee will be giving first priority about ethnic affairs as well as more detailed activities, to be decided after holding the plenary meeting of committee members. The committee’s meeting will be held in February’s first week,” said In Htone Kha Naw Sam.
The NLD held its central committee meeting in September aiming to form the Central Level Ethnic Affairs Committee. Now that they’ve formed the committee, certain rumours that some people will be a part of the committee have been changed.
Although MP In Htone Kha Naw Sam, Kayin State Chief Minister Nan Khin Htwe Myint and Rakhine State Chief Minister Nyi Pu were nominated to chair as leaders, the Rakhine State Chief Minister wasn’t included in the committee. Instead, Dr Tin Myo Win, one of the Central Executive Committee members was substituted for Nyi Pu.
“As you know, there have been many problems in Rakhine State. So, the Rakhine State Chief Minister is very busy. According to this situation, we substituted Dr Tin Myo Win,” said In Htone Kha Naw Sam, Chairman of Ethnic Affairs Committee (Central).
He also said Nan Khin Htwe Myint and Dr Tin Myo Win will be leading as Vice-Chairman 1 and 2 respectively, while ethnic MPs will act as committee members.
Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, Vice-Chair 2 of the NLD said: “At the central committee meeting on 21 and 22 September, the CEC members from the regions and states suggested that the CEC should have a strategic measure to make the emergency response to the situation in which ethnic parties in the ethnic areas would not run for seats in the election individually like before.”
Currently, the ethnic parties from Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin and Mon States are now carrying out the party unites activities aiming to stand only one party.
The NLD experienced losses in most of the constituencies in Rhine and Shan States though it could form the government thanks to the landslide victory in 2015 General Election.
Moreover, NLD didn’t win in ethnic constituencies such as Kachin, Mon, Shan and Rakhine States in 2017 and 2018 by-elections.
Political observers reviewed that the newly formed Ethnic Affairs Committee may gun for election victory in ethnic-heavy constituencies.
