The Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) has agreed to form a Federal Union Party (FUP) to include all ethnic parties, according to news sources.

At the 6th annual meeting of the SNDP, aka the White Tiger Party, Central Executive Committee (CEC), all the members have agreed to form a Federal Union Party (FUP). “Tomorrow we will proceed to discuss with other ethnic political parties to see if such a union should be established,” said U Saw Than Myint, treasurer and member of CEC for SNDP.

Whether or not a Federal Union Party should be formed and if it will contest in the 2015 general elections, with the newly formed FUP, will be decided by the 15 ethnic political parties at a conference on 11-12 June in Taunggyi.

The 6th annual meeting of the SNDP’s Central Executive Committee was held at Taunggyi, the Shan State capital on the 8-9 June.

Following the CEC meeting, the SNDP has released a 7-point statement, which says:

1. The SNDP believes that if the constitution is written based on federal union the current peace building in the country will be successful.
2. The constitution of the Federal Union of Myanmar, in which the law is implemented, will only create a genuine federal union if all other states are also granted the right to execute the law accordingly.
3. The SNDP accepts and recognizes 14 states or regions as part of the federal union of Myanmar.
4. The penal code Section 17/1, which underlines illegal or unlawful organization, is a major problem for all ethnic unifications and should be nullified.
5. The SNDP will no longer work with the other 10 democratic friendship parties.
6. The SNDP is against the Proportional Representative (PR) System that will be used in the upcoming 2015 general elections.
7. The SNDP urges the commission for land reforms to investigate and settle the cases for the people who have filed claims for ownership according to the law and to do so urgently.

“Following the establishment of FUP, there will be more work and responsibilities for the SNDP. Therefore, the SNDP will not be able to work with the other 10 democratic friendship parties,” said U Saw Than Myint.

While in the meeting the SNDP received 2 letters of resignation from Sao Saimong, Panglong and Sai Pang, Mongkurng as CEC members and they have been granted accordingly. At the same time, the members of the Party agreed to fill the 2 positions with Sai Kyaw Zaw Than, the National Assembly member, and Sai Kyaw Myint, People Assembly from Mongnai, according to the SNDP news sources.