The Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) was originally established as the “Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity and Cooperation Committee” (ENSCC) in August 2001. It was entrusted with the task of fostering unity and cooperation between all ethnic nationalities in preparation for a ‘Tripartite Dialogue” and a transition to democracy. The National Democratic Front (NDF) and the United Nationalities League for Democracy – Liberated Area (UNLD-LA) who co-founded the ENSCC, resolved that the ENSCC would:
 

• Undertake pro-active and constructive actions to bring about a peaceful resolution to the political conflict in Burma through a dialogue process involving the SPDC, the NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the ethnic nationalities, as dialogue partners;

• Consult widely, cooperate, and work closely with all stakeholders in Burma and with the international community, international bodies and agencies, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations, to resolve the grave humanitarian crisis in Burma, which most seriously effect the ethnic nationality populations;

• Strive to facilitate an orderly and peaceful democratic transition in Burma, and to rebuild the country in accordance with the spirit of Panglong, based on the principle of Equality, Self-determination, Democracy, and Justice.

At the 3rd Ethnic Nationalities Seminar in January 2004, the ENSCC was transformed into the Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) with a broader mandate. At that time, the ENC represented non-Burman political fronts, parties and organizations such as the United Nationalities League for Democracy - Liberated Areas (UNLD-LA) and its 11 member political parties; the National Democratic Front (NDF) and its 8 member organizations; other ethnic nationality organizations like the Karenni National Progress Party (KNPP) and others who are not members of either the NDF or the UNLD-LA; and some ethnic nationality organizations that have cease-fire arrangements with the Burmese military regime.

As the process progresses, at the 4th Ethnic Nationalities Conference in April 2005, a new structure for the ENC was adopted. ENC became State–based. In this new structure the representation to ENC were reconstituted based on the existing Arakan, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Karenni (Kayah), Mon and Shan States. This decision was taken to facilitate the establishment of a future Federal Union of equal states and also to ensure the participation and representation of all parties and all ethnic nationalities within each state.

It was also decided in this meeting that each of the seven states should send 5 representatives to ENC i) Three State representative elected to represent all political parties, groups and peoples within the State; ii) A woman State representative elected to represent all women within the State and; iii) A youth State representative elected to represent all youth within the State. As a special case for Shan State which is home to numerous ethnic nationalities, it was agreed that Shan State would send 8 representatives to the ENC thought the voting rights will be same as other states.

BURMA’S PROBLEM

The Ethnic Nationalities Council believes that the political crisis in the Union today is not just an ideological confrontation between democracy and a military dictatorship or totalitarianism. The problem is rooted in a constitutional problem, which came about because the 1947 Panglong Agreement, which formed the basis of the Union of Burma, was never fully implemented.

OBJECTIVE

The ultimate goal of the Ethnic Nationalities Council is to establish a genuine Federal Union of Burma based on the principles of the Panglong Agreement, which was signed on February 12, 1947, by Bogyoke Aung San, Chief Minister of the Interim Government of Burma (British colony); and the leaders of the Federated Shan States and the Frontier Areas - the Chin and Kachin Hills.

THE SOLUTION

The Ethnic Nationalities Council strongly believes that the best means to resolve the political crisis in the Union of Burma is through a negotiated settlement, i.e., through a political dialogue, negotiations and compromise.
The ENC believes that the question of democracy, military rule and the constitutional arrangement between the constituent states of the Republic of the Union of Burma are intrinsically intertwined and cannot be resolved one without the other.

Therefore, the ENC strongly endorses the successive United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions that call for a ‘Tripartite Dialogue’ – the military led by the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); democracy advocates led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD); and the ethnic nationalities – in order to resolve Burma’s long-standing problems and establish a sustainable democracy.

THE SPDC’s NATIONAL CONVENTION

The Ethnic Nationalities Council believes that the SDPC’s seven-point ‘road map’ and its National Convention will not lead to democratization and the establishment of a federal union. The current Convention as it stands will only serve to legitimize the military dictatorship.

The ENC supports the modifications to the National Convention that the ethnic nationalities armies that have cease-fires with the military, proposed on 14 May 2004: