Khoon Cline Free
The Chairperson of the Head Committee of Kayan National Unity (HCKNU), Khoon Shamue Aye Lar, said that according to the 2008 constitution, it is required to offer a Kayan minister constituency in Kayah (Karenni) State.
“According to the 2008 constitution (161) (C), they already provided this right. That’s why we ask for it as they provided this opportunity,” he said to Kantarawaddy Times.
According to the constitution, it said they asked to list one constituency for Kayan minister in Kayah State since their Kayan people in Kayah State is over 0.1% of population compared with Myanmar population.
He added on the issue of ethnic rights that it raises question as there is no Kayan minister constituency in Kayah (Karenni) State although their population is qualified for it.
HCKNU released its statement of objection on July 1st on regard of the constituency list of Kayah State for 2020 Multi-party Democracy General Election released by Union Election Commission (UEC) on June 29th as there is no constituency for Kayan minister listed in Kayah State Hluttaw constituencies.
“Although we don’t like 2008 constitution, according to the constitution I feel like it is unfair for ethnic minorities after seeing the constituency list released by UEC as they did not include it although the place for ethnic minister is in demand,” Kyaw Htin Aung, the Board Director of LAIN Technical Support Group, shared his analysis.
Due to the question raised at Hluttaw by U Saw Sein Tun, the current Amyotha Hluttaw representative at Constituency No.4 in Kayah State, the Amyotha Hluttaw Office research and the International Liaison Department delivered the population data of Kayan on February 19, 2019 that there are totally (69,920) Kayan population.
Currently there is no seat for Kayan minister in Kayah State ethnic constituency prepared by election commission.
There is only one ethnic constituency for Burma ethnic, same as last 2010 and 2015 election, in the announced list of Kayah State Hluttaw ethnic constituencies for 2020 Multi-party Democracy General Election.
When KT contacted to the State Election Commission concerned with it, one of the office person-in-charge replied there is no respondent to answer the question yet.
It is also known that HCKNU will keep requesting for this case to the Union Government.
HCKNU is the Kayan authorities’ highest organization organized with the representatives of four sub-ethnics of Kayan people, the Kayan ethnic armed groups, political parties, local organizations, and religious associations.