While it is all right to sign ceasefire separately, when it comes to political negotiations he would like to participate on a Shan State basis, according to Lt-Gen Yawdserk, Chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) who was speaking yesterday to 794 people representing 50 townships in Shan State at his base in Loi Taileng, opposite Thailand’s Maehongson province.

“That is the reason the RCSS has not joined any alliances, past or present, that are organization-based,” he said.

He was speaking on the last day of the 3-day reading of the Shan State draft constitution, organized by the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU), currently an alliance of RCSS/SSA, Shan State Joint Action Committee (SSJAC- a coalition of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy and Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army) Shan Nationalities Democratic Party and a number of Shan State-based Civil Society Organizations. The CSSU was formed on 15 October 2013. It is aiming to include all Shan State-based political parties, armed groups and CSOs in the near future.

“Once the political dialogue begins, we must have a set of common propositions,” he elaborated. “That was why I had proposed during our previous meetings that a state constitution be drawn. When the draft is reviewed by all groups concerned and adopted, we should present it to the government as our common platform.”

“Alone we don’t speak for all,” he added. “But together we can speak for all.”

The meeting agreed that a state constitution is necessary if Burma is to become a federal union. Other resolutions included a 12 point guiding principle for the draft and that the present draft be further developed to embrace aspirations from the diverse peoples of Shan State.
The 12 guiding principles are:

• Decentralized democratic administrative system
• Sovereignty comes from the people of Shan State
• Membership in a genuine federal union
• Racial equality and protection of minorities and their rights
• Promotion of fundamental human rights and gender rights
• Multi-party democracy
• Secular system
• A state defense force
• Independent state judiciary
• Financial autonomy
• The indigenous peoples of Shan State will live together forever
• All natural resources in the land, water and airspace of Shan State belong to the people of Shan State

The following are excerpts from the suggestions of the participants:

• The status of Self-Administered Zones (SAZs) where racial discrimination is practiced should be reconsidered
• A secular system is okay as long as the status of Buddhism is safeguarded by law
• A commentary should follow each draft when public consultations are held

The RCSS/SSA is not a member of the 12 member United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC). It has also sent its representative to the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) formed at Laiza last November to negotiate with Naypyitaw for a nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). It has however promised to become a signatory when it is ready.

The Shan State Constitution Commission (SSCDC), set up by both Shan and non-Shans since 2000, has also been in the drafting process. The difference is that the SSCDC has called for a federal structure for Shan State. Yawdserk says there is no fundamental difference between the two sides. “It has given the people of Shan State an opportunity to make a choice,” he said.