Participants at a recent sounding-off meeting organized by the joint house fact-facting mission had urged increased rights for the states and regions, reported Kawli Media, quoting one of the members of the mission.

According to Sai Tin, elected MP, People’s Assembly, Laikhai township, Shan State, and member in the National Races Affairs and Internal Peacemaking Committee, formed by both houses, two demands the participants considered “essential for internal peace” were:

• 50% of the cross-border customs tax and proceeds from the utilization of natural resources of each state/region
• Chief Minister of each state/region to be elected by the state/region legislature concerned

Participants at the said 31 May meeting in Taunggyi included town elders, ceasefire groups, and NGOs among others.

Sai Tin (Photo: Kawli Media)

At present, the Shan State is getting only 3% of the import taxes resulting in a 6,129 million kyat ($ 7.7 million) deficit for the 2011-12 fiscal year, according to MPs attending Shan State Assembly’s third session last February. Its total revenue for the year was Kyat 2.227 million ($ 2,783.75).

During the British days, the Federated Shan States, as the Shan State was known then, had enjoyed both administrative and financial autonomy.

According to U Tun Myint, in his 1957 “Shanland’s Grievances” report, the total revenue for the Shan States government for the 1940-41 fiscal year was 5,888,000 rupees, mostly from exports. It was also required to pay the British government 2,382,000 rupees that year, mostly for defense and coining. The balance, 3,506,000 rupees, was the Shan States government to use for its internal administration.

Also, according to the 2008 constitution, the chief minister of a state/region is appointed by the President. Article 261 (d) specifies that “The appointment of a person as a Chief Minister of the Region or State nominated by the President shall not be refused by the Region or State Hluttaw unless it can clearly be proved that the person concerned does not meet the qualifications of the Chief Minister of the Region or State.”

The National Races Affairs and Internal Peacemaking Committee is chaired by U Thein Zaw, MP, People’s Assembly Myitkyina township, Kachin State. Two fact-finding teams were reportedly formed last month: Team (1) led by U Thein Zaw himself and Team (2) by Hsai Pao Nub, MP for Wa Self Administered Division, National Assembly.

“We are now heading for the Irrawaddy Region” said Sai Tin.

Both teams so far have completed their missions to 11 states/regions, he added.