Ethnic armies in western Myanmar and NUG invited to India seminar on federalism: report

24 Sep 2024

DMG Newsroom
24 September 2024, Sittwe

The parallel National Unity Government (NUG) and ethnic minority rebels from the Myanmar states of Chin, Arakan and Kachin bordering India have been invited to a seminar in New Delhi in mid-November, according to a Reuters report on September 23.

The event will be hosted by the government-funded Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), which includes India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar.

It was not clear if representatives from Myanmar's military regime would also be invited to the event, which will cover the topic of "Constitutionalism and Federalism," according to the Reuters report.

"It was not immediately clear what the seminar would seek to achieve or why India has made the move," said the Reuters report.

"I think this is a form of discussion of federalism sponsored by the Indian government. I see that Indian officials will mainly discuss federalism with the leaders of ethnic armed organisations from Myanmar because they want to show the federalism model that India is currently practising," said U Tun Kyi, a political and military analyst.

Due to the civil war in Myanmar, India, which shares a border of more than a thousand miles, may also look to discuss stability in the border region.

U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, said he believed that since Indian projects in Myanmar are controlled by ethnic armed groups, project-related issues could also be on the table.

"There are some projects jointly developed by India and Myanmar. Some projects in Arakan State are under the control of the Arakkha Army (AA). I think the Indian government wants to discuss its projects in Arakan State with the AA. In a situation where the AA is not yet a government, it is still possible for India to negotiate with indigenous armed organisations and the NUG," said U Than Soe Naing.

When DMG contacted AA spokesperson U Khaing Thukha, he said the group was yet to comment on the matter. Sui Khar, vice chairman of the Chin National Front, one of the ethnic armed groups to receive an invite, said of the seminar: "We are going to send representatives."

The India-funded Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project is located in Arakan State, and implementation has halted due to the ongoing conflict between Myanmar's military regime and the AA.

A local media outlet in Chin State, citing a statement issued by the Mizoram state government, has reported that India is attempting to provide electricity via Paletwa in Chin State to the Arakan State capital Sittwe.

India's Mizoram Chief Minister Pu Lalduhoma earlier this month called for developing friendship between ethnic Chin and Arakanese communities, saying that Chin people should make friends with the AA rather than fighting it.