Shans share views on ethnic self-rule
More than 70 proposals
were presented at last week’s four-day
Union Peace Conference in Naypyidaw, the first in a series of
peace talks dubbed the 21st-Century Panglong Conference.
One of the most controversial proposals
was the demand for self-rule and autonomous states by several
ethnic minority groups, particularly in Shan State.
The ethnic groups that
demanded their own self-administered states include: the
United Wa State Army (UWSA), arguably Burma’s
strongest ethnic armed group, which does at present fall within a self-administered
division; the Ta’ang (Palaung) National Liberation Army (TNLA); the Pa-oh;
and Tai Leng group. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA)
based in Mong La demanded a self-administered zone for ethnic Akha people.
Asked to clarify his position on the issue,
Maj. Sai Nguen, the spokesperson for the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan
State Army (RCSS/SSA), said that it is every ethnic group’s right to make such
a request. However, he said that these matters are directly concerned with the
central government, and therefore fall under the 2008 constitution.
He explained that several stages must be
met in order to form an autonomous state.
Gen. Hso Ten, a veteran of the Shan
State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), said that in order to establish
a new state, a detailed process must be followed.
“It does not depend on us [SSPP/SSA],”
he said. “It needs to pass through parliament and the Shan State people. It is
not so easy just to establish a new state.”
He added that such a new state would
have to depend on ethnic populations, as well as language and literature.
“It’s their [ethnic minorities’] right
and we cannot stop that,” said Khuensai, the director of the Pyidaungsu Institute
for Peace and Dialogue.
He recalled that Mahatma Gandhi had once
said, “I do not accept what you have spoken, but I will protect you with my
life that you have a right to speak.”
Khuensai continued: “What we have to
consider is the loss we are facing as the majority group.
“But whatever we lose, they will also
lose. We all faced with losses.”
He concluded: “What we have to do now is
establish equal rights. And the best way to do that is to sit together and discuss
the issues until we have solutions.”
By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Tags: News, Politics
