Members of Myanmar’s National Unity Government urged to return from exile

Duwa Lashi La, the acting president of Myanmar’s publicly mandated National Unity Government (NUG), has called on members of his cabinet to return to the country from exile. During an online meeting held on Tuesday, the 74-year-old leader described the ongoing anti-junta uprising as the most important popular movement in Myanmar’s post-independence history and stressed that the NUG “cannot remain a government in exile.” Duwa Lashi La, an ethnic Kachin lawyer and politician, assumed the position of acting president in April 2021, soon after the NUG was formed following the ouster of Myanmar’s democratically elected government. As the country approaches the fourth anniversary of the coup, he said the time has come for leaders who have gone into exile to reunite on the ground and consolidate their power. “We have given enough time to the international community, even more than we should have,” he said. “That’s why I strongly urge government members currently in exile to return so that we can unite our strength and bolster ground forces within the country.” It is time to “reignite the spark by bringing together scattered light under one lens,” he added. Kyaw Zaw, the NUG’s spokesperson, told Myanmar Now that the need to expand services, improve administration, and unify fragmented forces has grown as more of the country comes under the control of groups opposed to the regime. “This is an urgent call to NUG members who have been in exile for various reasons to return and reunite within the country, so they can stand with the people in managing services and government administration,” he said. He added that most of the NUG’s top leaders, including Duwa Lashi La, Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann, and Defence Minister Yee Mon, have stayed in the country since the start of the armed resistance movement. During Tuesday’s meeting, Duwa Lashi La also noted that China’s government has been increasing its pressure on groups opposed to the regime. “The forces with weak direct political and military ties to our NUG government are now facing unexpected pressures, particularly those arising from China’s foreign policy,” he said, adding that caution would be needed in handling this situation. He also called for strategic efforts to break free from what he termed “China dependency.” “The reality is clear—if we look at the resistance forces as a whole, there is political and military dependency on China. This was the case before and continues to be so now. The same dependency exists for the terrorist junta. We cannot deny or ignore this fact.” The NUG includes elected members of the ousted civilian government led by President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who have both been in junta custody since the coup, as well as other prominent ethnic and activist leaders. It consists of 17 ministries, each headed by a minister and a deputy minister.

Members of Myanmar’s National Unity Government urged to return from exile

Duwa Lashi La, the NUG’s acting president, said members of his cabinet based abroad should come back to the country to help consolidate power

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