NUCC to Coordinate to Reconcile Two Federal Basic Law Drafts Among Revolutionary Forces

Despite differences in opinion, the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) will coordinate to reconcile the two federal basic law drafts among the revolutionary forces, which are engaged in resistance, as they are facing the issue of having two drafts for the federal transition. The NUCC announced on July 5, the day before yesterday, during an explanatory meeting that the zero draft of the Federal Transition Basic Law (AFTA), which is being jointly drafted with the National Unity Government (NUG), has been completed. "We will not release the details at this time. Although the zero draft is complete, we are in the process of obtaining feedback from experts," said U Toe Kyaw Hlaing, a member of the NUCC, to the media. Furthermore, he stated that there will be two rounds of meetings among stakeholders to make additions and revisions, and on the other hand, coordination will be carried out with the Ethnic Nationalities Council (MEC) to reconcile the issue of having two AFTAs due to differences in opinion. It is known that the MEC has separately drafted a basic law (AFTA) for the federal transition period to build a future federal democratic union by approaching Myanmar with a "bottom-up federalism approach" from strengthening states to strengthening the union. The MEC is composed of 12 revolutionary forces, including the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Karen National Union (KNU), the Chin National Front (CNF), the New Mon State Party (Anti-Military Dictatorship) (NMSP-AD), and the Pa-O National Federal Council (PNFC). "Currently, there are two versions: NUCC's AFTA and MEC's AFTA. Although there are two, as I mentioned earlier, we wrote MEC's AFTA together in the same room from the beginning until October 2025," U Toe Kyaw Hlaing, a member of the NUCC, continued. Similarly, it is known that the NUCC includes the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) and most of the MEC members, as well as organizations such as the Mon State Federal Council (MSFC), PNFC, and the Ta'ang State Council (TLC), and their AFTA is written with 13 chapters, excluding the preamble. There are three main points of disagreement between the two groups: the definition of the transition period, and the establishment or non-establishment of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These points will be thoroughly discussed when the two sides meet, according to U Toe Kyaw Hlaing, a member of the NUCC. "These are likely to be the main points of divergence. Since these are matters that need to be thoroughly discussed and coordinated by both sides when we meet, I do not wish to say much in advance about them," he replied to media inquiries. Likewise, the NUCC's AFTA zero draft, which has now been completed, is a political weapon in response to the military junta's "100-day plan" for a transitional government, and further consultations are planned with remaining organizations that have not yet participated. Photo: Ayeyarwaddy_Times