Myanmar Federalism Leadership Programme 2018
10 Days Training on Division of Power and Fiscal Federalism
HSF
The programme brought together 44 participants from different states and regions around the country. They were from government institutions, from research institutions and universities, and from NGOs and CSOs.
Mr. Achim Munz, the Resident Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation, welcomed the participants and introduced the principles of the Foundation’s work, its office and project’s history in Myanmar since 1994, its intention of political education for Myanmar citizens and civil society, its aim of fostering a political dialogue, discussions and debates about federalism and democracy on every level of politics and society. The programme was designed to strengthen the participants' knowledge on federalism as well as to share their personal idea regarding Myanmar’s reform process towards federalism. A mixture of national and international resource persons led the conversation during the ten days training.
Group photo of the MFLP participants
HSF
During the first days the participants attended seminars and discussion which covered topics like the history of the Union of Myanmar, the pursuit of self-determination and ethnic equality, the introduction to principles, characteristics, pillars of federalism and the 2008 Constitution, the founding principles in current political negotiation of federalism in Myanmar or tentative proposals in the process, sequence and equilibrium in Myanmar’s Federal Democratic State Formation.
Participants and experts also jointly visited the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Myanmar Union Parliament) in Nay Pyi Taw. For many participants it was the first time to visit the 31 building complex that houses the Pyithu Hluttaw (Lower House), Amyotha Hluttaw (Upper House) and the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Combined House). They joined and experienced a Pyithu Hluttaw session and afterwards visited the Parliament’s Library and Archive with an abundance of literature on numerous political and social issues. In order to support communication and exchange, attendees had the opportunity to discuss the current peace process and federalism in Myanmar with Members of the Parliament in a more informal setting during a joint dinner.
Dr. Soeren Keil during a presentation
HSF
Throughout the training there were vivid and inspiring conversations, sparked by various inputs. A panel discussion, moderated by Ying Lao from the Salween Institute for Public Policy, was a good input for following questions and discussion. The panellists were U Zaw Htay – Secretary of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee, Dr. Lian H. Sakhong – Vice Chair of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee and Min Kyaw Zayar Oo – Secretary Group Member of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee. Amongst others they were discussing the history of the NCA, the current developments of the Peace Conference and their expectation on the future federation. After the panel discussion, the participants had the chance to raise questions.
After 10 days of seminars and discussions on the #Division_of_Power and #Fiscal_Federalism as key issues for #Designing_Federalism, the Myanmar Federalism Leadership Programme 2018 ended successfully with a closing ceremony and the handover of Certificates of Completion on September 23rd.
Some of the participants during the joint dinner with Members of Parliament
HSF
We are confident that all 44 participants have fundamentally improved their understanding and knowledge on basic federal principles and will in the future contribute to the development of a federal, peaceful and prosperous Myanmar in various ways.
We appreciate their dedication and eagerness to learn. We would like to express our great thanks to all the national and international resource persons and facilitators who made this year's program a great success: Aye Aye Thwe, Asang, Sai Kyaw Nyunt, Saw Kapi, Min Zin, Za Ceu Lian, Khun Okker, Ying Lao, Dr. Soeren Keil, Prof. Andreas Heinemann-Grüder, Dr. Christine Forster, Dr. Nicolas Schmitt, Prof. Gregory Marchildon, Kyaw Swa, Su Yadanar Myint, ZarNi MyintMaung and Shine Ko Ko Lwin. We’d also like to thank the panellists, the Members of Parliament and above all our participants.
We are looking forward to further cooperation with our partner organizations The Salween Institute for Public Policy and the Centre for Development and Ethnic Studies and to the upcoming MFLP in 2019.
