Local Alliances/ Partners

The National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB)

The National Council of the Union of Burma was formed in 1992 as a united front of the National Democratic Front (NDF), the Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB), the National League for Democracy- Liberated Areas (NLD-LA) and the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).  It includes leaders from both democratic forces and ethnic nationalities, work in cooperation against Burma’s military dictatorship. Its primary objective is the termination of the military dictatorship so that peace, democracy can be established under a genuine federal union in Burma and to ensure that human rights are recognised for Burma’s citizens, as well as the rights to equality and self-determination of members of the ethnic nationalities.  For more information about NCUB, please visit: www.ncub.org.

National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)

In 1990, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma was established as a government-in-exile organisation after the ruling military junta suppressed democracy and prevented the National League for Democracy (NLD) from forming a government despite its landslide victory in the 1990 national general elections. After severe repression including the jailing or house arrest of many key NLD leaders, and Notification No. 1/90 forbidding any political entity other than the SLORC from exercising legislative, executive, and judicial powers, a government was formed at Manerplaw, with MPs representing different regions of Burma.  This was undertaken with the full support of the Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), amongst others.  The NCGUB seeks recognition as the legitimate government of Burma from the international community, as well diplomatic support for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Burma. For more information on the NCGUB, please visit: www.ncgub.net.

Ethnic Nationalities Council- ENC (Union of Burma)

The Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) evolved from the Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity and Cooperation Committee (ENSCC), established in 2001 by the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the United Nationalities League for Democracy – Liberated Area (UNLD-LA).  ENSCC was entrusted with the task of fostering unity and cooperation between all ethnic nationalities in preparation for a ‘Tripartite Dialogue” and a transition to democracy.  In January 2004, the Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) was established, with a broader mandate of representing non-Burman political fronts, parties and organisations such as the UNLD-LA, the NDF, other ethnic nationality organisations, and ceasefire groups.  In 2005, ENC representation became state–based to facilitate the establishment of a future Federal Union of equal states, and to ensure the full participation and representation of all parties and ethnic nationalities including the adequate representation of women and youths within each state. For more information about the ENC, please visit: www.encburma.org

Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB)

In 2004, the All Burma Federation of Student Unions-Foreign Affairs Committee (ABFSU-FAC), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Burmese Women’s Union (BWU), the Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS), the Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), the People’s Defense Force (PDF), and some individuals from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) (AAPP), came together and unanimously agreed to form the Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB). The purpose of the FDB is to make substantial and collective efforts among 8888 generation groups to bring forth a democratic transition to pave the way for good governance, rule of law and justice in Burma. The FDB also aims to provide a new generation of leadership to energize the current democratic movement, and ensure that the views and perspectives of the new generation of Burma are heard during all phases of the democratization process. For more information on the FDB, please visit www.democraticforumburma.org/eng.

Women’s League of Burma (WLB)

In 1999, the Women’s League of Burma was established to increase the participation of women in the struggle for democracy and human rights, to build mutual understanding among all nationals, participate in the national reconciliation and development process, and to enhance the role of the women of Burma at both the national and international levels.  The WLB believes firmly that the contribution of women in the struggle to bring about human rights, democracy and equal rights for all nationalities in Burma will have a great impact, and that their participation in the national reconciliation and peace-building process is essential. For more information about WLB, please visit: www.womenofburma.org.

The Nationalities Youth Forum (NYF)

The Nationalities Youth Forum (NYF) was founded in 2006 as an umbrella group of 13 member organisations with diverse ethnic nationality backgrounds. It is intended to foster social and political development, and to promote the equal rights and self-determination of different nationalities. NYF strives to implement projects and activities based on mutual respect, unity, justice and equality among member organisations, and advocates collaboration on common objectives. It also promotes knowledge-sharing between generations to fulfill the desire of ethnic youths for a genuine and peaceful federalism. For more information on NYF, please visit: www.nyforumburma.org.

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Regional Alliances/ Partners

Burma Partnership (BP)

Burma Partnership, formerly known as the Asia-Pacific Peoples’ Partnership on Burma (APPPB), was established in 2006 at a conference entitled “Democratic Change by the People: Asia Pacific Partnership on Burma”, initiated and organised by the Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB) in partnership with the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma (Altsean-Burma) and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia). The three-day conference was convened to establish partnership across the Asia-Pacific region, to develop and implement a common strategy to mobilise a coordinated regional civil society movement for Burma, and to strengthen civil society’s support of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) and national parliamentary caucuses on Burma. For more information on BP, please visit its website at www.burmapartnership.org.

Young Progressives Southeast Asian (YPSEA)

The Young Progressives in Southeast Asia, which started in 2004 in Manila, seeks to reaffirm the importance of gathering like-minded young “progressives” to regional seminars, who — either as young politicians, members of political parties, activists in social movements, NGO workers or media practitioners — actively engage national and regional institutions, civil society networks and governments to make the timeless concepts of equality, social justice, democracy, human rights, gender equality and peace among others, a reality. In 2006, YPSEA was “officially established” with the approval of its own Constitution and By-Laws in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. For more information of YPSEA, please visit its website at www.ypsea.multiply.com.

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