Friday, March 4, 2016

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan unity meeting ends early after officials intervene

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 03:45 AM PST

The third annual meeting of the Committee of Shan State Unity (CSSU) ended abruptly yesterday after only the first day of a planned three day conference.



The meeting was halted following the intervention of local government officials in Yangon.


Sai Leik, a spokesperson for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), explained that officials wanted to sit in and monitor the proceedings.


"They asked us to let them in to the meeting room to listen to the proceedings," he said. "We told them that we would report to them after the meeting. They then told us if we did not have permission from local authorities, we would have to stop."


Sai Leik, who was also an organizer for the meeting, said he went to the Yangon western district office lateThursday afternoon to request permission for the meeting. However, the officer requested that they get a recommendation letter from the police and village tract office. As it was too late in the day to do this they were unable to proceed.


Sai Leik then asked the chief of the office to sign a letter either ordering the meeting to end or allowing the meeting to continue, but he refused to do either.


"Because we did not have the permission paper, the hotel refused to host our meeting," he added.


Puen Kham, the Secretary of the CSSU, said that the annual meeting was being held to discuss some key issues including collaboration and unity within Shan State's nationalities and future cooperation with the incoming government.


The annual meeting was attended by a number of high profile Shan leaders who are involved in the national peace process including Lt. Gen. Yawd Serk, the chairman of the RCSS/SSA. Khun Tun Oo, the chairman of the SNLD also attended the meeting as did Hso Ten, the leader of the SSPP/SSA and Khuensai, managing director of the Pyidaungsu Institute for Peace and Dialogue.


"We will have to wait and see how far this country will have to go to reach democracy," Sai Leik said. "There are so many challenges we will be facing."


The committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) was formed in October 2013. It comprises Shan armed groups, political parties and civil society organizations.

BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

Shan Groups Call For Mining Halt In Eastern Shan State

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 02:19 AM PST

The Shan State Farmers' Network (SSFN) and the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) released a joint statement on Thursday, calling for the incoming Burmese government to halt gold mining operations in eastern Shan State's Tachileik Township.


Nang La, a resident from Na Hai Long village in Tachileik, and a spokesperson for the group was quoted in the press release describing the difficulties her community has endured because of gold mining in the area. She said the villager's rice fields have been destroyed every year by the mining operations.


"Now villagers are worried about flooding in the village," she said. "They are afraid to stay in the village due to fears of possible flooding. Some have been looking for a new place to live," she added.


"Villagers in Na Hai Long, Tachileik Township, have been suffering from the impacts of gold mining in the nearby Loi Kham hills for almost a decade," read the statement. "Their main water source has become clogged and polluted with cyanide-filled waste, and about 300 acres of fields have become unusable."


The statement also reported that the companies involved in gold mining in the area are Sai Saik Pyo Ye, Shwe Taung and Loi Kham Long.


According to the report, in late February, trucks from three mining companies, Sai Saik Pyo Ye, Shwe Taung and Loi Kham Long brought about 30 villagers from Na Hai Long village to the border town of Tachileik to receive compensation for the damage to their fields caused by toxic mining waste.


"The companies provided cash for 7 acres of land at a rate of 12,000 baht per acre. They promised up to 3 million baht for the entire village," the statement reported. The Thai baht is commonly used in eastern Shan State.


With regards to the compensation, there was no prior agreement between the mining company and the village headman or the villagers, according to the statement.


"The companies are pouring even more waste into our fields than before. How can we accept money from them to destroy our lives?" said a farmer from Na Hai Long.


Sai Hor Hseng of the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) said that the companies are paying off the villagers to cover up the problem while attention is focused on the political transition occurring at the national level.


"The people in Burma and international communities should know that mining companies are doing this in order to stop residents from complaining," he said.


Sai Hor Hseng said what the companies are doing is not sincere or transparent.


Sai Ai Pao, the outgoing Shan State Mining and Forestry Minister, had ordered the mining companies to cease their operations in July 2014. The order was later reversed and the mining firms are still operating in eastern Shan State.


BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

Shan Leaders Discuss Peace Process Under New Government

Posted: 03 Mar 2016 09:19 PM PST

Representatives from the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) met on Thursday to discuss working with the new government on the peace process.


Puen Kham, the Secretary of the CSSU, said it remained uncertain what direction the peace process will head under the incoming National League for Democracy (NLD) government. "We have to prepare," he said.

Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, the chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and also serves as a current chairman of the CSSU, said in his opening ceremony's speech that they will work together toward unity.
The discussion came as part of a three-day meeting which began on Thursday at the Micasa Hotel Apartments in Yangon. The meeting will also cover other issues including the picking of a new leader of the CSSU.

"The newly elected committee will be responsible for the unity of all national [groups] in Shan State," Puen Kham explained. "There are thirteen different nationalities in Shan State, of which Shan is also included," he said.

Forty six representatives attended the meeting including Lt. Gen. Yawd Serk of the RCSS/SSA, Hso Ten of the SSPP/SSA, the SNLD Chairman Khun Tun Oo and Sai Ngun Lwin the SNLD's Secretary. Representatives from the Shan Lawyers Network (SLN), the Pyidaungsu Institute (PI), the Eastern Shan State Democratic Development Party (ESSDDP), the Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN), the Tai Youth Network (TYN), the New Generation Shan State (NGSS), and the Tai Youth Organization (TYO) also attended the meeting.

However, the Shan Nationalities Development Party (SNDP), a co-founder of the CSSU, opted not to attend the meeting.

The Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) was formed on October 17, 2013. The group includes the Shan State Joint Action Committee (SSJAC) member groups. This includes the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Seng Kiao's People Militia, the New Generation Group (Shan State), the Shan Youth Association, the Shan Nationality Organization-Thailand, Shan community-based organizations and a team of legal consultants.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)