U Mya Aye, the leader of the veteran resistance 88 Generation Students Group, was among 39 politicians, former political prisoners, and activists who held clandestine discussions on Ngwe Saung Beach in Ayeyarwady Region in September. Other participants included Shan Nationalities League for Democracy leader Sai Nyunt Lwin, and the executive director of election watchdog PACE, Sai Ye Kyaw Swa Myint.
They reached a seven-point agreement to establish a federal democratic Union; hold political dialogue and set a timeframe for it with the help of the international community; release political prisoners including civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; form an administrative mechanism for the transition period; and cooperate with the international community in rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Known as the Ngwe Saung Agreement, the deal attracted a lot of criticism when it went viral on social media earlier this month. U Mya Aye recently talked to The Irrawaddy about the agreement.
There are mixed views about the agreement. What is your response to them?
I welcome them. It’s good. Criticism is part of democratic culture. We must learn to accept criticism because that’s how we improve and correct mistakes. But people should have sufficient information when they make their judgement.
Fighting is likely to intensify further in 2025. How do you plan to proceed with the agreement?
It’s just an initial agreement. There are many steps to be taken before implementing it. Some people misunderstand: it’s merely a consensus between participants and not meant to be an official declaration to the public. We held the meeting on Sept. 28 so that we could discuss our views at the meeting in Jakarta in October. We still have much to discuss on each point. The country can be peaceful only when genuine democracy is built. And only when there is peace can democracy thrive. This is my personal view. Fierce clashes will continue until then.
The regime has promised to hold an election this year. Critics have called it a sham. Do you think it can take place?
The fundamental agreement reached at Ngwe Saung is that we cannot solve our problems within the framework of the 2008 Constitution. The election, the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, or anything else done under that constitution won’t solve any problems. Elections are a must in a democracy, but we need to see if elections can be held at all, and under which constitution. People want a federal, democratic union, which the 2008 Constitution can’t give.
There is no provision in the 2008 Constitution about forming new states, but in the current situation that is needed. To build a federal union, we need a federal charter in consultation with all the ethnic groups. If a poll is forcibly held without it, the situation can only get worse. This is not just my view. International observers say the same. Only a few parts of the country are stable enough to hold an election, and public interest is quite low. Objectively, it will be very difficult to organize the poll.
The Ngwe Saung Agreement says Daw Aung San Suu Kyi must be released. But few foreign governments are talking about her release today. Even in ASEAN, only Singapore talks about her by name. Why do you think her release is important?
If we are to solve the problems faced by the country, political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint must be released. That is the baseline. Yes, voices calling for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have faded at home and abroad, and I have repeatedly said that I don’t agree with her on everything. That’s not a problem, it’s the nature of politics. But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is accepted by the country’s majority. It’s a fact which can strengthen the country. On some issues, a million words we say can’t match a single word she utters. She can convince the people, so there is a need to consider her usefulness to the country.
I am not from the National League for Democracy, but we recognize the crucial role she plays in overcoming the current crisis. Also she’s nearly 80, so we have called for her release. The international community isn’t as vocal as before in demanding her release, but it hasn’t lost track of political prisoners in Myanmar.
Ethnic armed organizations are playing a greater role today and there have been talks of bottom-up initiatives in building a federal union. At the same time, there are views that a federal union must be built on democracy. Which do you think is more important, federalism or democracy?
Nation-building is the heads and tails of the coin. The Soviet Union was a federal country built by force, and it finally shattered. The same goes for Yugoslavia. People in Myanmar are not demanding federalism only, they are demanding federalism with democratic norms.
I don’t think it’s a good idea for different states to have their own systems. There must be democratic values that cover the entire union. In the case of Myanmar, democracy alone is not the solution because there are many minorities, so we have to consider a new structure for the country. We want a federal country with a thriving democracy, allowing the grassroots to make their voices heard. Federalism is the only way to peace.
I say this based on the lessons from the era of the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League government led by U Nu. Democracy was at its peak in Myanmar then, but it ended in a coup because they failed to build a federal country. There are diverse groups in Myanmar, and if we can’t unify them in a harmonious and equal manner, our national identity will be compromised.
I welcome criticism because we tend to overlook our mistakes. I want to tell my fellow citizens at home and abroad that criticism is welcome. We are marching toward a common goal. There would be debate, discussion, and argument along the way. But we are on the same path, and we will meet again.
Finally, in politics I don’t think it is a good idea to isolate someone who does not have the same views as you. There are many paths towards the goal. If we can overcome our differences, they will become strength.
