Ethnic parties have announced that a report to amend the Constitution shall be prepared by the National League of Democracy (NLD) together with United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) by November, after a meeting on September 7.

“We shall prepare a report and release it at the Parliament and the public. I cannot confirm whether the report will propose to draft a new Constitution or just make amendments to the present one”, said U Nyan Win, the in-charge of the NLD Information Department.

At the meeting, the ethnic parties also decided to discuss amendments every Saturday, between the NLD and UNA..

“We will need thorough discussion on what and how we should amend the Constitution. For now, we are here to reach an agreement to amend the Constitution with all the ethnic parties”, said U Aye Thar Aung, Chairman of the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), a UNA member party.

The UNA formed a committee last month jointly with the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), formed by 11 ethnic armed groups.

Colonel Khun Okka, the co-secretary (2) from UNFC had told Mizzima earlier that they will publicize the amended points in the law which is rewritten by the following recently formed Committee.

“We will discuss re-drafting the law. The ethnic people prefer a new one rather than amendments”, continued U Aye Thar Aung.

Pu Kam Lian, General Secretary of from the Zomi National Congress, a member party of the UNA said, “ In order to achieve peace, having a Constitution that treats all citizens equally, regardless of their ethnicity, is of primary importance. Then, we will be able to draft the Constitution with inputs from all the ethnic groups”.

13 ethnic groups were invited to attend the meeting on Saturday. However, only 5 parties, the Kaman National Progressive Party, Chin Progressive Party, Zomi National Congress, Arakan League of Democracy and Shan Nationalities League for Democracy attended the meeting.

The NLD has formed a 7 member committee on September 6, to amend the Constitution.