Shan Herald Agency for News |
- Ethnic working group presents draft framework for political negotiations
- RCSS delegation meets Shan State Govt in Taunggyi
- To Hopeland and back (Part II) #2
- Drug trades boom on Kachin-Shan border
- To Hopeland and Back (Part II) #1
| Ethnic working group presents draft framework for political negotiations Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:26 AM PDT Padoh Kwe Htoo Win, one of the presenters, said U Aung Min, head of the MPC and Naypyitaw's chief negotiator, was present at the occasion, which took place on 13 May in Rangoon.  Framework meeting for Political Dialogue with UNFC, on 20 February 2013 in Chiangmai (Photo: Hla Maung Shwe) Included in the draft entitled "Comprehensive National Peace and Ceasefire Agreement" are:
"The minister (U Aung Min) said it was more comprehensive than the first two drafts," Kwe Htoo Win, who is also General Secretary of the KNU, recounted. Also present at the occasion were two representatives from the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS): Sai La and Sai Ngeun, Harn Yawnghwe, director of Brussels-based Euro Burma Office (EBO), and Hkun Htun Oo, leader of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD). According to other sources:
"There are few differences between the Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC) and MPC drafts," U Hla Maung Shwe, Special Advisor to the MPC, told SHAN. "The differences that need to be sorted out are mainly about the composition and the number of participants." The government announced in Naypyitaw on 10 June that a nationwide ceasefire agreement is to be signed after the Kachin issue is resolved and is to be followed by an all inclusive union conference. The WGEC draft is the result of the resolutions reached at the Ethnic Nationalities Conference, 14-16 September 2012, when a 5-stage roadmap was adopted:
The WGEC is made up of representatives from ethnic armed movements, which include member organizations of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), and civil society organizations. Please read attachment for further details. Attachment: Comprehensive-Union-Peace-Ceasefire-Agreement.pdf |
| RCSS delegation meets Shan State Govt in Taunggyi Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:23 AM PDT  The meeting between the RCSS delegation and leaders of Shan and other politicians, SLCC members (Photo: Harkkhurhan Khur Seng) "Today's event is perhaps nothing special, but this evening all government officials, top leaders of political parties, ceasefire groups and some of the city's high profiles, will be at dinner together at the SLCC office, said Maj. Lao Hseng, the spokesperson of the RCSS told SHAN. Last (Tuesday) evening, at Taunggyi Hotel, the RCSS delegation was received by political parties headed by Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), which popularly known as White Tiger, other political party's top officials, and members of SLCC, according to reports. "We arrived in Taunggyi yesterday evening at 6.00 pm local time. Sai Ai Pao, the leader of the White Tiger Party, leaders of other political parties in Taunggyi, and EC members of SLCC met in Taunggyi Hotel. Following our arrival, there was an informal discussion while having dinner," said the RCSS spokesperson. Tomorrow (20 June), the meeting between the RCSS delegation and Shan State Government officials is to be held at the SLCC Office an disorganized by U Khin Maung Soe, chief minister of Shan State Electric Engineering Department. According to reports, apart from officials of Shan State government, there will be a discussion between the RCSS and regional commanders of Burma army related to ceasefire agreement and for the future and developments of Shan State, a joint project will also be discussed, sources from Taunggyi have said. |
| To Hopeland and back (Part II) #2 Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:07 PM PDT One of the obvious reasons the armed opposition has refused to enter government-controlled territory is because one is, at least psychologically, disadvantaged over one's counterpart in the control of a situation. Many, like the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers, have therefore conducted their negotiations outside the country. Chairman Yawdserk however has adopted a different approach. He insisted that the first meeting, in 2008, must be held in a third country where each side would have an equal chance to put the feelers out on the other before deciding on the course of action to be taken.  Naypyitaw, in response to the call, sent its "Minister Without Borders" U Aung Min in November 2011 to Thailand. 5 of the movements met him in Chiangrai on 19 November, 4 of which have since signed the ceasefire: Chin National Front (CNF), Karen National Union (KNU), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS). The other group was the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), whose 1994 ceasefire agreement had been broken since June, 5 months earlier. This is the second trip made by Chairman Yawdserk at the invitation of U Aung Min, Minister for President's Office and Vice Chairman of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) as well as the head of the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC). The first was in May of last year where he visited Kengtung and signed a 12-point union level agreement. At noon (Thai Standard Time which is 30 minutes ahead of Burma), we crossed the border, escorted by (MAS) officials. The latter, for the benefit of new readers, is the successor to its more well-known and defunct Military Intelligence Service (MIS). Once across the border, we were immediately driven to the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy's (SNLD) Tachilek branch office, which was inaugurated that morning by the party's top leaders. There, we were received by Hkun Htun Oo, Chairman; Sai Nyunt Lwin, Vice Chairman and Sai La, General Secretary and Spokesman. They informed Lt-Gen Yawdserk of the immediate need to hold a summit composed of leaders of 2 Shan political parties and 2 Shan armed movements, due to the 2 June meeting between Hkun Htun Oo and President Thein Sein at the MPC. There, witnessed by the President himself, U Soe Thein deputy head of MPC and another minister for President's Office, and U Khin Maung Soe, minister for electric power; Hkun Htun Oo was asked by U Aung Min whether he could assist in the effort to "facilitate reconciliation" in Shan State. He accepted "the challenge" without hesitation, he said. Yawdserk heartily agreed to his proposal. The result was the tentative setting of 12 June as the date for the summit. The venue would be in Rangoon and arranged by the SNLD. We were later whisked off to the Tachilek airport to wait for our plane, on Yangon Airline. Yawdserk later remarked to me that he agreed Hkun Htun Oo was the correct choice.  He also told me that the United Wa State Army (UWSA) was reportedly concerned about his visit to Naypyitaw. "They thought that there must be something fishy about it as it is taking place while tensions are growing between Panghsang (the Wa capital on the Chinese border) and Naypyitaw," he said. "I replied to the source that the Wa leadership need not worry themselves over it, as the visit has been planned for a long time. Also I will be speaking not only for Shans but the whole Shan State and it includes the Wa." The RCSS/SSA and the UWSA fought a brief war in 2005 and while there has been no fighting between the two since, the relationship has not been at its best. Yawdserk said he had sent delegations to Panghsang and written letters to the Wa leaders but so far there has been no response. "Well, we will be riding a Wa plane now," I told him. Yangon Airline reportedly belongs to Hsiao Haw, a son-in-law of the Wa supreme leader Bao Youxiang. "If they want to do something to you, now's their big chance." He just smiled and said nothing. At 15:30, the plane took off. It stopped in Kengtung and Mandalay. At 17:30 we were in Naypyitaw. "Yangon Airways wasn't supposed to land in Naypyitaw," said U Aung Min, who headed the reception committee, said triumphantly. "But we made a special arrangement for you." Yadana Theingha (Rattana Singgha) was the hotel chosen for us. According to U Aung Min, it is owned by U Win Myint, Minister of Commerce. It was in a hotel zone where several new hotels are under construction, to be completed in time for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games due to be held late this year. At the dinner party hosted, of course held by U Aung Min, we were informed of the meeting with President Thein Sein at 10:00 and the dinner party hosted by Vice President Sai Mawk Kham at 19:00 tomorrow. "We have also arranged a series of meetings with government ministers," he said. The UPWC has also set another meeting with the KIO in Myitkyina, 25-26 June. "If all goes well, we are planning to hold a meeting to sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement," he added. "An all-inclusive union conference is to follow it." Well, so far so good, I thought. I was also reasonably convinced the meeting with the President would go well. The target audience, I reminded myself as I closed my eyes, wasn't Yawdserk but the people both inside and outside who are watching us. It has to look good, right? |
| Drug trades boom on Kachin-Shan border Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:06 PM PDT "Manweng Long has been a center for drug trading for sometimes. As the Burmese police force and Kachin army officials have turned blind eyes on illicit drug trades, drug addicts and abusers have been increased day by day. Highly demanded drugs which is most popular in the market is yaba or methamphetamine tablets," Sai Ai, a native of Mangweng told SHAN.  A center for Illicit drugs selling points (Photo: SY/SHAN) The average ages of drug users are between 13 and 35 in range, in which mostly are Shan and Kachin youths. As the drug users have been increasing, subsequently, thefts and robberies are common in the area. People who sell drugs are also drug addicts and users vice versa, said Sai Ai. "Manweng Long drug selling point is in King Swe Kham's garden in the rear of Myanmar Police station. The drug traders and users do not care if even the owner of the garden told them to leave his premises. Myanmar authorities and village administrator have turned blind eyes on the cases. Until present, the illicit drugs are being traded freely," Pa Ei, a native lady from Manweng Long told SHAN. Occasionally, the regional authorities would come to cease the drug users and traders, but they mostly took only motorcycles or money and some other valuable things, and those drug abusers would be freed shortly. Since a year ago, during Burma army and KIA (Kachin Independent Army) were at wars, drug traders and users have been increased in many folds, said the locals. Similarly, Wan Kawngsa village in Namkham township, Shan State bordering with Manweng Long in Kachin State, has become a drug selling point, said the local sources. |
| To Hopeland and Back (Part II) #1 Posted: 19 Jun 2013 09:05 PM PDT I have come to call the country Hopeland, as it is a place full of hopes and dreams after more than 60 years of nightmares. I traveled to Hopeland on the invitation of Lt.-Gen. Yawdserk, who was invited by U Aung Min, Vice Chairman of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC). The following events were organized by our hosts: 9 June 2013
 10 June 2013
 11 June 2013
12 June 2013
13 June 2013
 14 June 2013
 15 June 2013
 16 June 2013
17 June 2013
Today (17 June 2013), the delegation, escorted by MPC and security officials, is said to be leaving for Taunggyi, where they are expected to stay and meet with representatives from both the state government and public sectors. One thing mentioned by officials in Hopeland was that two of the leaders, from the Karen and Mon movements, were conspicuously not among the several missions sent by their leadership. They wanted us to assure them that there was nothing they couldn't do in Hopeland just because they didn't see eye to eye with the rest of their movements. My purpose therefore is to write everything I have seen and heard during my stay in Hopeland, and to let the readers, and specifically the leaders that have, if I may say so, yet to come in from the cold. As a follower of the Buddha who believed only in making 2 kinds of speeches:
I will try my best, beginning tomorrow, to write what I believe to be truthful and beneficial. As to whether it will be "pleasing" or "unpleasing" will be left to the interpretation of the readers. Note: This should actually be titled "To Hopeland and Back-Part III," due to the fact that I made my first trip back to Hopeland last year on 18-22 May 2012. However, during that trip, I had written only news articles. |
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