The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) held a three-day 2015 general election review conference in northern Shan State at the end of November to explore their political role over the next five years.

Nearly 200 members attended the political party’s meeting, which was held in Kyaukme Township from November 28-30. Duties and responsibilities were discussed both for winning MPs and for unelected candidates, said Sai Leik, the party spokesperson.

“Youth are the power of politics,” Sai Leik said, explaining that at the strategy session, the SNLD discussed the formation of a youth committee. He also added that they would like to partner with civil society and community-based organizations, and focus more on the inclusion of women.

Nang Noon, an SNLD candidate from Mong Bain, told SHAN that at the meeting, the party leader, Khun Htun Oo, emphasized future cooperation with the Shan State Joint Action Committee, Committee for Shan State Unity, and the United Nationalities Alliance in an effort to partner with other ethnic groups in Shan State.

The strategy meeting led to the formation of a parliamentary committee, she added, with representatives from the Upper House, Lower House and State Parliament an the central committee.

In Burma’s general election, held on November 8, the SNLD—known locally as the Tiger Head Party—won three Upper House three seats, twelve Lower House seats and 25 out of 160 seats in the State Parliament.

By SIMMA FRANCIS and ZAAI ZAAI LAO MURNG / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)