The acting president of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) has called on NUG ministers living abroad to return to Myanmar to avoid becoming a government in exile at a momentous time for the Spring Revolution.
Duwa Lashi La issued the call during an NUG cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
“We must bear in mind that our strength must be based inside the country. Our NUG government can’t be a government in exile. We must be practical and build our strength on the ground. I strongly urge all our government members to try to gather their strength within the country,” he told NUG ministers.
“It is fair to say we have spent more than enough time engaging with the international community. Therefore, I urge government members abroad to focus their efforts within the country. Ignite a new spark by concentrating the scattered light with a magnifying glass,” he added.
The NUG, formed in April 2021 a few months after the coup, is largely made up of lawmakers from the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) and its ethnic allies, with a brief to challenge the military regime’s legitimacy at home and abroad. Much of Myanmar’s populace considers the NUG to be their legitimate government.
The NUG has 17 ministries. Only a few of its leaders, including the defense minister, remain inside Myanmar while others reside abroad, mainly due to security concerns.
The acting president also warned that the NUG cannot ignore the pressure being applied in Myanmar by China. He called on the NUG cabinet to recognize Beijing’s strategic shift and consider new ways of maintaining the popular revolt while minimizing its impacts on the people.
He called on NUG ministers to carefully assess potential adverse impacts of future operations and think out of the box to minimize civilian suffering.
Mahn Win Khaing Than, the NUG’s prime minister, stated that 2025 would bring momentous changes in the Spring Revolution and urged all ministers to prioritize actions that would advance its goals.
