A high-level delegation representing Myanmar’s anti-coup resistance concluded a major cross-country diplomatic tour in Canada this weekend, seeking to solidify international support and officially introduce a newly forged political and military alliance.
Led by National Unity Government (NUG) Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung, the delegation arrived in the capital, Ottawa, on Saturday following earlier stops in Toronto and Vancouver that began on May 30.
The visit marks a critical step in the resistance’s strategy to counter the military regime’s recent attempts to legitimize its rule on the global stage.
“One of our three objectives was to engage with the Canadian government and parliament on their Myanmar policy. We also sought to ensure continued support for the assistance Canada provides to Myanmar,” Zin Mar Aung told DVB.
Unveiling the SCEF
A primary focus of the Canadian tour was the formal introduction of the Steering Committee for the Emergence of a Federal Democratic Union (SCEF) to the government in Ottawa, following other high-profile visits to Washington, Tokyo, and Istanbul.
It officially binds the NUG and the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH)—comprising lawmakers ousted in the February 2021 military coup—with four of Myanmar’s most formidable ethnic armed organizations (EAOs):
- Karen National Union (KNU)
- Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)
- Chin National Front (CNF)
- Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)
Zin Mar Aung, who serves on the SCEF Secretariat, emphasized that the alliance was established to work with resistance forces nationwide to present a unified, federal democratic alternative to the regime in Naypyidaw.
She actively dismissed recent rumours suggesting the SCEF was formed to negotiate a settlement with the regime following its leader Min Aung Hlaing’s inauguration as “president” on April 10 following elections called a “sham” by the U.N. and several Western countries.
Joining her on the diplomatic mission were key figures from across the resistance spectrum, including NUG Presidential Advisor Kyaw Zaw, SCEF Foreign Affairs Department member and KNU spokesperson Andrew Nimrod, and Neineh Plo, a member of the Interim Executive Council (IEC), the provisional government established in Karenni State in 2023.
Securing Canadian support
According to a June 3 statement released by the SCEF, the delegation held critical talks with Robert Oliphant, Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand.
During the meeting, Oliphant reaffirmed that Ottawa stands firmly with the people of Myanmar in their pursuit of a peaceful, inclusive, and democratic future.
He underscored the urgent need for an immediate cessation of violence and called for full, unhindered humanitarian access to support the estimated 3.7 million people currently displaced from their homes across Myanmar.
Since the 2021 coup, Canada has maintained a strong stance against Min Aung Hlaing’s regime, imposing targeted sanctions on 150 individuals and 92 organizations connected to it.
The resistance delegation also met with Canadian Members of Parliament Garnett Genuis and Adam Chambers, who co-chair the Parliamentary Friends of Democratic Burma, to discuss ongoing coordination and policy strategies.
Internal resistance dynamics
While projecting unity abroad, the SCEF’s formation also reflects ongoing structural adjustments within the pro-democracy movement.
Zin Mar Aung noted that the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC)—a broad pro-democracy advisory group established shortly after the 2021 coup—is a policy overseeing body.
It was the NUCC that originally established the NUG in April 2021 to act as the democratic alternative to military rule in Myanmar.
However, the resistance network has faced some internal friction. In November, the NUCC temporarily suspended the CRPH from its meetings due to what were described as “minor internal disputes,” with no further details released.
Additionally, eight resistance groups–including the KNU and the KNPP–have had their NUCC memberships suspended since last year, highlighting the complex political maneuvering required to keep the diverse resistance coalition intact.
