CHIANG MAI- February 5. A three-day public consultation on the Shan State constitution, which began on February 3 at Loi Tai Leng, the headquarters of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS),ended today.

At the consultation, about 800 people from 49 of the 55 townships in Shan State, were informed and explained about the Shan state constitution, which was drafted by a team of lawyers under the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) that was formed in October last year.

A member of the lawyers’ team said, “The constitution is very important. Every state must have their own constitution, so the Shan State must have its own constitution.”

Sao YawdSerk, the chairman of RCSS, gave an opening speech, saying that in the past people were not informed about and had no knowledge about the 1947 constitution, so that people were the victims of countless abuses.

At the end of the assembly, there was consensus that the lawyers’ team should carry on drafting the 14 chapters of the constitution, under 12 guidelines.
The CSSU was set up to work for the unity and development of all ethnic nationalities of Shan State, and for the realization of a genuine federation under a democratic system in Burma.

“Only RCSS or a single party cannot represent all the Shan State people, therefore the CSSU was formed,” said Sao YawdSerk.

The CSSU’s members include the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Shan State Joint Action Committee (SSJAC), and the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, as well as 13 civil society organizations.