15 Sep
Greetings to all esteemed people
Let me first express my gratitude for the opportunity to speak about our party’s policies, stance and work programmes.
My name is U Kya Soe, a central executive committee member of the Lahu National Development Party. I will first explain about our party’s policies and stance.
Our policies and stance are as follow:
Our party believes that the implementation of a genuine democratic federal union is the only way for the ethnic groups in Myanmar to turn it into a modern developed nation.
The Lahu National Development Party was formed to gather the strength of the different ethnic, national races living in Lahu areas and unite them in the road to establishing a modern and developed democratic federal union.
In our native tongue, our party is called ‘’Lahu Chaw Ceu Ul La Muh La Tu Party’ and Lahu National Development Party in English.
I will now explain our party’s flag. Our flag measures 5 feet by 2.5 feet with a white equilateral triangle in the front and the background divided in half into red and marine blue. Inside the triangle is a white backdrop with two traditional Lahu flutes crossed with each other. A maize crop grows out from the flutes’ intersection and is topped with a red star.
The symbols have various meanings. The colour white represents purity, honesty, integrity and loyalty. Red symbolizes courage, enthusiasm and discipline. Marine blue represents tranquillity, peace, peace and unity.
The triangle represents the Lahu people’s reverence to their religion, nationalism and love of their country. The traditional flute represents the emphasis we place on our culture, traditions and unity. When we play that flute at any auspicious celebration, there will be dancing and honouring in unity and harmony. The maize represents our traditional livelihood in agriculture and development. The red star represents all of the Lahu people.
In our party’s seal, we have written the party’s name in Myanmar language on the top half and Lahu language on the lower half, with a star separating the two languages on each end. In the middle are two traditional Lahu flutes crossed with each other and ripe maize growing from the intersection with a star on top. LNDP is written just below the flutes.
Our party’s objectives are:
We will ensure national sovereignty perpetuates throughout the country’s border. We will ensure ethnic solidarity lasts, and independence continues in line with democratic practices.
· We will preserve and develop Lahu literature, culture, customs and traditions, and art.
· We will ensure equal rights and opportunities for all citizens, the rule of law, and political and economic campaigns in the region.
· We will work hard to improve the living standard of the entire population, including the livelihood and living conditions of the Lahu people who have lagged in development for all-era generations.
· We will acquire valuable experiences and methods from developed nations and implement them in our own national and regional development.
I will now explain our party’s action plans for the future:
1. We will develop the people of Lahu regions and the rest of Myanmar to be more conscious politically, economically and socially. We will campaign to raise the integrity of our political party.
2. We will work for the rights of ethnic groups and regional development. We will eliminate terrorism that brings devastation to all people and guide the way to finding solutions within the legal framework and in line with fair and peaceful democratic practices.
3. We will interact with other political parties that share a common objective, stance, ideology and opinion as equals and cooperate and help each other as necessary.
4. We will practically eliminate the opium trade, which brings harm to everyone, that has been the primary source of income for generations and replace it with agriculture, livestock rearing, and extracting natural resources which can be exported locally and internationally. We will acquire the experts and professionals and the investments necessary to achieve this goal.
5. We will practice free and active political policies for peaceful coexistence with the rest of the world.
6. We will nurture and develop Lahu literature, culture, customs and traditions, and art as it becomes more progressive.
7. We will expand infrastructure construction to allow easy access between regions. We will work from free healthcare for all people regardless of their level of income. We will ensure inclusive access to education.
In conclusion, the traditional Lahu flute is the symbol of our Lahu National Development Party which will be competing in the General Elections on 8 November 2020. It represents the unity of the entire Lahu group. We urge the Lahu people to be united and implore you to vote for us for establishing a democratic federal union, ethnic equality and regional development.
