Training
Local Political Parties and Civil Society on Federalism and Peace in Myanmar
The Centre for Development and Ethnic Studies (CDES)
teamed up with the Ayeyarwaddy Social Development Organization to conduct a
three-day training on democracy, federalism and peace at the Shekinah Hotel in
Pathein, Ayeyarwady Region. The training was held from 16 to 18 March and
welcomed 50 participants from various backgrounds, including 13 different
political parties and other civil society organizations (CSOs). The training
sessions and lectures were led by senior officers of CDES, including its
Executive Director Salai Ngun Lian Sang.
After
the three-day training, CDES organized a peace forum on 19 March at the Pathein
Hotel in Pathein, which was attended by a total of 155 people. At the peace
forum, Salai Ngun Lian Sang (Executive Director), Saya Yan Kyaw (Senior
Lecturer and political analyst) and Saya Naung Kyaw (Senior Speaker) from CDES
spoke with the audience about the main issues in Myanmar’s peace process. They
were accompanied by U Tin Lin Aung from the Green Peasant Institute (GPI), who addressed
the reforms in Myanmar’s land use policy, and by Daw Swe We Nway who highlighted
the importance of women’s participation in the country’s transition towards
peace and federalism.
The next destination for the CDES training team was
the city of Bago in the Bago Region. A three-day training was held here from 27
to 29 March for a group of 40 participants. The training included various
presentations and workshops and gave the participants advice on how to best
support their community using the knowledge they gained during the training
sessions. Furthermore, two people with disabilities from the Myanmar
Independent Living Initiative (MILI) were among the participants. One of them
pointed out that many people with disabilities are unable to participate in this
kind of trainings and events; not because of their handicap but because of the
limited accessibility of the venues used. To make events as inclusive as
possible, it is therefore of great importance to provide an accessible and
convenient environment for people with disabilities, the elderly and women.
After
the training, a public peace forum was held in Bago, which was attended by more
than 200 people. During the discussion, Salai Ngun Lian Sang stated that in
order to achieve the peace we want, we must continue to conduct trainings,
workshops and political dialogues to establish a common ground and prevent
further violence. At the forum, Parliament Lawyer Daw Zar Mi Oo passionately
advocated for the participation of women in democracy and the peace process,
and she encouraged women to speak up and make their voices heard.
12th
Batch Completes the Saturday School of Federalism
The twelfth edition of one of CDES’ longest running
programs, the Saturday School of Federalism, was successfully concluded on 30
March 2019. During the four consecutive Saturdays of the program, a wide range
of training sessions and workshops were organised at the CDES office for a
group of 36 participants to develop and enrich their knowledge on major themes
in Myanmar’s transition towards a democratic federal union. The four-day
training program focused primarily on democracy, federalism and its division of
powers, self-determination, the peace process and gender equality. Among the
participants were university students from the Political Science and Law Departments
as well as staff members from NGOs and other civil society organisations that
contribute to Myanmar’s democratisation and peace building processes. A total of
286 people have now received a certificate for successfully completing the
Saturday School of Federalism, and more batches will follow in the future.