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Union government urged to open Union Level Ministry of National Races Affairs
Published on Friday, 01 February 2013 20:57
Myanmar Upper House is poised to debate a proposed legislation aimed at creating a ministry to deal with the affairs of all the races in the country.
The Upper House has approved the decision to debate the bill that was tabled by Htay Yal, a Upper House MP of ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party that won 883 seats out of 1154 in the 2010 election on January 30.
Htay Yal is also a representative of Kayah State Constituency No-2.
“Ministries of national races affairs are already formed in states and regions, but aren’t at the Union level. Regarding the matters with the entire Union, the minister appointed at the Union level should handle the affairs. Only when the Union level minister address the affairs, it will be more effective. For that reason, the Ministry of National Races Affairs should be formed at the Union level. It can be formed in compliance with the Constitution,” he said.
Another Upper House MP Khet Htein Nan seconded the proposal and said, “The national races minister should be at the Union level. This is because our country is made up of all different national races. All different national races struggled for our country’s independence. In this way, Panglong agreement came into existence in 1947 before regaining the independence. If the minister is appointed at the Union level, a wide range of matters such as internal peace, literatures and cultures can be performed. The ministry of the Union level should be formed and it is a bit late to form the ministry.”