Thet Lwin

Nai
Thet Lwin
နိုင်သက်လွင်
Minister for Ethnic Affairs
Assumed office
30 March 2016
Preceded by new post
Personal details
Born 1940
Kawkareik, Kayin State, Myanmar
Nationality Burmese
Political party Mon National Party

Nai Thet Lwin (Burmese: နိုင်သက်လွင်; also Htet Lwin; born 1940[1]) is an ethnic-Mon Myanmar politician who is currently the Minister of Ethnic Affairs in the government of President Htin Kyaw. He took office on 30 March 2015 as part of the first government of the country formed by the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) following their victory in the 2015 general election.[2] The vice-chair[2] of the Mon National Party, he was one of only three ministers appointed to cabinet from a party other than the ruling NLD.

Background

Thet Lwin was born in Kawkareik Township, Kayin State, in 1940. He went to Mawlamyine University and studied philosophy.[3] He started in politics at the age of 18, joining the Mon Development Party. After graduating in 1970, he focussed on teaching and preserving Mon literature and culture.[4]

Political activity

In 1988, he brought Mon politicians together in his house to form the Mon National Democratic Front, as part of the "8888" pro-democracy movement. He became vice-chairman of the MNDF, running for a seat in the Mon State capital, Mawlamyine, in the 1990 election.[4]

After the 1990 election, the party was banned and he went into business, including rubber, fisheries processing, food exports and hotels. In 2011 he participated in government peace talks with the Mon National Liberation Army.[5]

He helped reestablish the party in 2012, after political parties were allowed again. In 2015 he participated in the founding of the United Nationalities Alliance, which brought together eight ethnic minority political parties in Myanmar. He called for the implementation of a federal system in Myanmar as a top priority and said a democratic system and the rule of law were "of great importance".[6]

His daughter, Mi Kon Chan, was elected an MP for the NLD for Paung Township in the 2015 election.[7]

He was appointed the Minister of Ethnic Affairs, a newly formed ministry, in 2015. Asked what his policies were, he said, simply, "I will follow [NLD Chairperson] Daw Aung San Suu's instructions ... the country's ethnic minorities all love and trust her."[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Who's who: Myanmar's new cabinet". Myanmar Times. 23 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 Times, The Myanmar. "Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to join government as NLD reveals cabinet". www.mmtimes.com. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  3. ↑ "Meet Burma's Next Cabinet". Irrawaddy. 24 March 2016.
  4. 1 2 "New Portfolio, Old Political Hand for Ethnic Affairs Post". Irrawaddy. 22 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Mon State government peace team arrives at headquarters of NMSP". reliefweb. 14 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Dialogue with eight groups will not produce genuine peace". Eleven Myanmar. 30 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Amending the constitution? We'll try our best". Mizzima. 22 October 2015.
  8. ↑ "Euphoria subsides as new govt takes helm". Bangkok Post. 31 March 2016.
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