Independence aspiration not in the way of cooperation

Independence aspiration not in the way of cooperation, say Arakanese leaders

Leaders of the Arakanese opposition, interviewed by S.H.A.N. yesterday, confirmed the agreement reached by the 4-party meeting recently to unite under the guiding principle of Independence did not mean a stop to cooperation with other opposition movements. 

"The Arakan Liberation Party was formed (in 1973) with the avowed aim to struggle for Independence," said Khaing Soe Naing Aung, Vice President of ALP and General Secretary of the National Democratic Front, an umbrella organization of the armed non-Burman movements founded in 1976. "It did not prevent us from co-founding and becoming a member of the NDF." 

One of the NDF's aims is the establishment of a "genuine federal union." 

"Independence is not something we are begging for," he said. "The Arakan had been an independent nation for thousands of years. We are only restating the fact. That will not prevent us from cooperation with others to struggle for a federal union." 

The ALP and other three Arakan groups, Arakan League for Democracy-in-exile, Democratic Party of Arakan and National United Party of Arakan, held a 5-day conference, from 14-18 July, on the western border of Burma.

Apart from a call for tripartite dialogue, the 4-party coalition had agreed to call an 'Arakan National Convention' where a state constitution was to be drafted. "The citizenship question of the so-called Rohingya will also be considered there," said Khaing Myo Min, General Secretary of the ALP. This was confirmed by Ms. Saw Mra Raza Lin, Joint General Secretary. 

Among the participants of the conference were: 

• U Tha Noe, Khaing Aung Win (Chairman), Khaing San Linn (Vice Chairman) and Khaing Ran Aung from ALD; 

• Khaing Re Khaing (Chairman), Khaing Myo Min, Khaing Soe Mya, Khaing Ran Naung Soe, Khaing Thukha from ALP; 

• U Thein Pe (Chairman), U Aung Sein Tha (Joint General Secretary), Maung Lugyi and San Aung Kyaw from DPA; 

• U Shwe Tha, Ba Soe Aung (Vice Chairman), Khaing Mya Wa and Khaing Lin Aung from NUPA.