The first bi-annual meeting of the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU), formed on 17 October last year, issued a statement last Saturday, 3 May, that it would comply with the call made by monks and people from 52 townships on 9 April to unite.

The petition, signed by 3,663 monks and township representatives, stated that the two major Shan armies be combined into one single Shan State Army (SSA) and the two major Shan parties, namely: Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) merge to become one single party. “We will support neither side, if our demands are not met,” it warned.

The 3-day meeting, 1-3 May, formed a 6 person coordination team headed by Peun Kham, 65, to hold consultations with all 4 groups and report back to the next bi-annual meeting.
The team will also consult with different groups who, among the following 4 current leaders, should be the CSSU’s principal chairman:

• Hkun Htun Oo, SNLD aka “Tiger Head” party
• Sai Ai Pao, SNDP aka “White Tiger” party
• Lt-Gen Pang Fa, Shan State Progress Party (SSPP/SSA) aka SSA North
• Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) aka SSA South

“Hkun Htun Oo, known for his unflinching honesty and the enormous respect he has won both among Shans and non-Shans, is a clear favorite,” one of the leading participants confided to SHAN. “As for the SSPP/SSA, it has already formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) with him as chair. We also don’t think the RCSS/SSA will object to him.”

“Neither will Naypyitaw, because U Aung Min, its chief negotiator, has asked him to help ease the government’s (peacemaking) work by doing his best to unify the Shan groups,” another added.
The next stage, according to the participants, will be for the inclusion of non-Shans, particularly PaO, Palaung (aka Ta-ang), Danu, Kokang and Wa, in the CSSU. “How can we join you?” one of them quoted Aung Hkam Hti, 83, leader of the PaO National Organization (PNO) saying in 1983 when the Shan United Revolutionary Army (SURA) called for the unity of all Shan State-based resistance movements. “If we do, the SSA and the SUA (Shanland United Army) will probably not be happy and may turn against us. Then we’ll be worse off than we are now. I therefore suggest that you three Shan groups are united first. Then you will have little or no problem with us (non-Shans).”

The PNO, in 1991, concluded a ceasefire pact with the then military government.
The CSSU was formed with the popular call for the people of Shan State to speak with one voice during the upcoming political dialogue which will come in the wake of the planned Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).