An interview with Yebaw Salai Yaw Aung, a central leading committee member of the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF)
November 18, 2022
The junta said it will make a firm stance on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and the 2008 Charter in the peace processes and amend the charter for ethnics.
The Than Lwin Times interviewed Yebaw Salai Yaw Aung, a central leading committee member of the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) about the military council’s plan to amend the charter, the continued adherence to the NCA and the response to the military’s undertakings.
Q: The junta said it will amend the charter and adhere to that charter. May I know your view on it?
A: Taking a thorough study of the 2008 Charter, it is a charter backed by the army or a charter which is drafted for those who take off military uniforms to hold onto power. It is very obvious that the army drafted the 2008 Charter in its own interests. The army said the election will be held in 2023. It is evident that the army drafted the 2008 Charter to hold its power forever. We will not accept the 2008 Charter. I understand that the 2008 Charter has been destroyed. The 2008 Charter has been put into the dustbin. We have no reason to talk about the 2008 Charter. There must be bilateral dialogues to build peace. How can we do interim transitional processes? We want to say that both sides need to hold a dialogue.
Q: May I know your view on the military council’s plan to make peace with the use of NCA?
A: I think the NCA is void due to the military coup in 2021. We cannot go ahead with the NCA for the restoration of peace. The reason is there are 10 NCA signatories only. There are many armed groups which are outside the NCA. As a result of the 2021 coup, the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) and the National Unity Government (NUG) have emerged. They cannot be removed. It is practical. I understand that the country’s political problems cannot be solved if the army turns a blind eye to the current situations and pays attention to the NCA. The next point is there are 10 groups in the NCA. Three of 10 groups are not included in the NCA. There are non-NCA signatories as well. I want to say that we cannot build a peace process based on the NCA.
Q: Can it really work? At present, the army always says it is in accord with the law. How does the ABSDF want to respond to the army’s undertakings?
A: The army said what it is doing is in accordance with the 2008 Charter. We don’t want to say whether we base on the 2008 Charter or not. Do you see what the army is doing in accord with the law? Are the killings of people in accord with the law?. Are Letyetkone incident in Depayin and the mass killing in Sagaing Region in accordance with the law? It is questionable. The country will be peaceful if what they are doing is in accord with the law. The entire people will accept it. The entire people are making an armed revolution as the entire country doesn’t accept it. The army opposes democracy. The army has nothing to do with democracy if the army respects democracy. The army is under the control of the people-elected governments in democratic countries. The army staged a coup by opposing the democratically-elected government. This is not an act of keeping democracy. It is destroying democracy.
Q: My last question is May I know your comment about the current political situation as an EAO which signed the NCA?
A: Our ceasefire has nothing to do with the 2008 Charter. We decided to make a ceasefire in order to build peace and solve political problems. We cannot solve political problems based on the 2008 Charter. We made a ceasefire to solve political problems outside the 2008 charter and build peace in the entire country.
Sent by Than Lwin Times