SHAN has already reported that the Shan-Kayah Trust-building for Peace conference was held in Lashio for three days, from March 20-22. Following the conference, the main theme of the conference and as to what has been discussed, SHAN has contacted KhuensaiJaiyen, the SHAN editor-in-chief. The following are excerpts from Lashio peace conference.

The necessity for a new constitution

Young people, armed groups, political parties, civil society, Inlay organization, including Karenni Nationalities Peoples Liberation Front (NKPLF), other social organizations, and all representative attendants have voiced the same tone: “if constitution is to be amended, timeframe should be given reasonably”. That is the reason why it has been time-taking debating about if writing a new constitution would be faster.

Participants

2008 Constitution, if necessary the cover should be changed

The 2008 Constitution’s cover, if necessary, should be changed.

Hkun Htun Oo

Making sense of a given opportunity is better than imagination

We should not be too much imaginary. For the peace process, there are three things that we can do: short term, mid-term and long term. What should be done in short term is that we can start working on what is allowed by the constitution. We should not let the opportunity goes astray. Next, in the mid-term, we should try to find out the problem in the constitution and also a solution for amendment accordingly. We should ask for what is feasible to be asking. Then, in the long term, we should move to the most difficult and problematic part of the constitution in which can be resolved by discussions with reasonable timeframe.

U Aung Min

Gone with Gen Aung San

Political problem is not solved by political means, but militarily. That is why the situation has worsened to this level. It is like writing a wrong prescription for a wrong diagnosis. We do not have an appropriate cure for the disease. We only have a home-made treatment just like exchanging ‘ceasefire for peace’. Our peacemaking is not yet successful. Even what has been acceptable to all ethnic nationalities such as Panglong Agreement is well founded for peace. Nevertheless, once Gen Aung San was gone, it was unable to continue. The peace seemed to have gone with Aung San. In 1991, Senior Gen Saw Maung promised that once the elections are over, the army will return to their barracks. However, after Saw Maung was gone, the army still in the frontline and not yet return to their barracks. Likewise, now the president Thein Sein, who is known to be rational and leading the government for a democratic reform, is making peace with ethnics. Nevertheless, when Thein Sein ordered the Burma army to stop the attacks on ethnic armed groups, they did not obey. This creates distrust between army and ethnic armed groups as the government is lacking credibility. If this is to be continued, no one dares to believe that the government is honest and sincere.

A Youth representative

Wa autonomous state

We would like to demand for an autonomousWa State. We have been telling whoever on official visits to the Wa region. We have been asking for this autonomous right since 1993. In our meeting with government peace negotiator U Aung Min, we have told him about this. We will continue to struggle for an autonomous Wa State.

Xiao Sankun
Deputy Chief of External Affairs
United Wa State Party (UWSP)

Ethnic people being cheated

Why do we take up arms? … a short answer is: “to establish the union.” The Panglong Agreement was signed before. However, that ‘union’ is only on surface appearance, but in reality it was only a unitary state. Indeed, we have been cheated. That is the reason why there is no ethnic that does not take up arms to against the government. That is why we prepare for a federal system to build a genuine union. However, it resulted in a coup. If all the predecessors and successors of the governments were fair and just, there was no reason for us to take up arms to fight. When we took up arms, we were accused that the Shan princes were behind our armed movements. And also, we were accused that the South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) had supplied us with arms. In 1963 peace talks at Myanmar Broadcasting Service (then Burma) on Pye Road, Rangoon we were asked if SEATO supplied us fire powers. In reality there was neither arms supplied from SEATO nor Shan Saophas (Shan ruling princes) were behind our armed struggles. Now we are extremely happy to know president U Thein Sein wants to hold peace talks. U Aung Min (our peace-broker) is a hero who plays a major role in the peace process. We are deeply moved as he has come a long distance to attend this peace convention. I would like to request all to take this great opportunity to work for peace for the sake of the whole citizenry of the country.

But it is sad to say that until today, the Shan State Army (SSA) both North and South are being attacked by the Burma army. Under the terms of truce agreement, such incidents should not be allowed to occur. When we make complaints to the president, we were replied that “according to the 2008 constitution, the president has no power to command the army”. Therefore, this problem is directly related to the constitution. That is why, the constitution should be amended. How ‘unity’ should be looked like? Unity is a form of collected differences, which we term “Unity in Diversity.” Therefore, we have to accept the differences—that we are different. If we accept that we are different, we can have a “unity.” Before, the Burma army chief of command was a Karen national. In the old days, there were 5 Karen units, 4 Kachin units, 3 Chin units; and 1 Shan unit. Even the Gurkha had 1 Regiment in the Burma army. Those days there was such system in the army; today we should even be better than that. We should have formed a genuine federal union army.

Lt-Gen Hso Hten
Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA)

A salad bowl union

There are 31 nation-states that are federal states in the world. Among them, the form of administrations in those union of nation-states are different from one country to another. Nevertheless, there are 6 points that are identical in those countries: 1) each state has its own constitution; 2) each state has its own judiciary; 3) there are at least 2 levels of elections: union and state levels; in Malaysia, they are up to 6 levels; 4) the central government has a limited power; 5) the relationships between states and union may be both horizontal or vertical forms; and 6) distribution of resources and wealth equitably among the states.
There are 2 forms of union: first, a form of union practicing in the United States of America, known as the melting pot. Second, a union nation-state like India. It is a method you prepare for salad in a bowl in which you mix all vegetables and dresses but you are still able to single out each as to what its origin. That kind of mixing is very tasty. Today, many nations appear to prefer a salad bowl arrangement.

KhuensaiJaiyen
Editor-in-chief
Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)