Friday, February 21, 2014

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

BURMA: The probelm of forging national identity

Posted: 21 Feb 2014 07:17 AM PST

By: Sai Wansai
Friday, 21 February 2014

             Sai Wansai
First, a common national identity in a multi-ethnic state is one of the most crucial component in a nation-building process.

As all know, the Burmese military prescribed national identity "Myanmar" is not accepted by the non-Bama ethnic groups or nationalities as a common identity, which also belong to them.

In other words, "Myanmar, Bama, Burman" are labels only identified with the majority "Bama" and have nothing to do with the non-Bama ethnic groups or nationalities.

If you ask a Kachin, Shan, Karenni, Karen, Mon, Arakanese and Chin, what race or nationality he or she belongs to, one would only get the answer of "I'm Kachin, Shan, Karenni, Karen, Mon, Arakanese or Chin"; but not "I'm a Kachin Myanmar or Shan Myanmar and so on".

In the United States for example, it is quite normal to hear "I'm Korean American, Palestinian American, Chinese American, Armenian American and so forth".

Still there is another example, when you ask an Indian from Singapore, he would likely answer "I'm Singaporean" and not "I'm Indian from Singapore", which means the Singapore, common national identity is fully accepted.

I mention this because I came across a Chinese friend from Singapore, when asked about his national identity, replied without hesitation that he's Singaporean. Another Chinese friend, the one who questioned, from Hongkong was furious of his answer for he didn't say that he was Chinese.

The point I'm trying to put is that the nation-building process of successive civilian and military Bama-dominated regimes has never seriously taken off from the ground, needless to say about instilling a common national identity that all could agree upon and embrace wholeheartedly.

The core problem to forge such a common identity is the failure to instill a sense of belonging to each other. And there is no way around from first coming to terms of mutual agreement in power-sharing and resources-sharing as a fundamental basis, before we could work or agree upon a common identity. For now, it is like putting the cart before the horse, which will only lead to confusion and disagreement, especially where a common national identity is concerned. It should be noted that after more than six decades of independence from the British, we are still nowhere near to forging a common national identity.

To sum up, forging a common national identity is only possible if the power and resources-sharing is adequately worked out beforehand. Choosing a name or label is relatively an easy part of the process and we only need to ask all the stakeholders - all the ethnic groups residing within the country, Bama included - concerned.

Shan community in Twante welcomes Shan population survey team

Posted: 21 Feb 2014 07:11 AM PST

The Shan population survey team formed last year in Rangoon was warmly welcomed by the Shan community in Twante last week, according to a member of the delegation.

"A book on Twante Shan history, recorded by a Shan speaking monk, was presented to Dr Sai San Aik (aka Sai Hsang Ai), patron of the Shan Literary and Culture Society," he reported.

Twante, called by Shans as Ton-Tee, is located 19 miles southwest of Rangoon.

Its famous son is General Naginda, who had erected a monument near the town's Shwe Hsandaw pagoda to mark his victory over his opponents in the year 1564, during the reign of Bayinnaung (1551-1581).
Twante Thein Tan's album cover (Photo: okmusic.jp)

The other famous Shan, more well known, is Twante Thein Tan, the singer who flourished in the 1960's.

There are 4 Shan villages: Nyaung Taga, Mu Taman, Nga Khong Ma and Shanzu in the township, where the Shan traditions of building sand pagodas on New Year's Day and Kard Zao (Pre-dawn market) are still observed.

"However only a few of the residents are registered as Shans in the official documents," said the team member.

The official census is to be taken on 30 March-12 April. The event is to be launched in Naypyitaw on 1 March, according to Immigration and Population Minister U Khin Yi. Ethnic armed organizations that have concluded ceasefire agreements have been invited to attend it.

Back to Shan Shine (12-15 February 2014)

Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:57 PM PST

Day Three: Reorganization (14 February 2014)

The next day was reorganization inside the RCSS. And the latest line-up will be of interest to all, whether friend or foe, who are following the RCSS/SSA:

Central Executive Office (CEO)
Sao Yawdserk                Chairman
Sao Sai YiVice Chairman #1
Sao Kherh NgeunVice Chairman #2
Sao SiriSecretary General #1
Sao Lao HsengSecretary General #2
Sao Pawng KherhCommittee for Peacemaking
Sao Sai LuCommittee for Coordination with the Burmese government
Under the CEO are 15 departments:
DefenseSao Kherh Ngeun, Sao Kham Leng and Gawn Zeun
Public AdministrationSao Pawng Kherh and Kherh Piu
FinanceSao Yawdserk
TaxSao Kherh Zawm
CommerceSao Awn Teun
Foreign AffairsSao Yawd Moeng
HealthSao Na Aw
EducationSao Herng Fa and Nang Mwe Kherh
InformationSao Sai Long
ForestrySao Sai Leng
AgricultureSao Wan Hseng
Public RelationsSao Hseng Moeng
AllianceSao Sai Hserh
Drug EnforcementSao Hseng Harn
DevelopmentSao Sai Leng and nang Kham Oong
Several resolutions were also passed at the meeting. Among them are:
  • Enlisted men have the right to lodge their complaints by bypassing the chain of command ("If they have no options, they may do desperate things, like desertion," commented Chairman Yawdserk)
  • Officers may be investigated/ transferred or dismissed, if local Sangha and people lodged a jointly signed complaint ("A resistance movement is born of the people," says Yawdserk. "It dies when they are fed up with it.")
  • Capital sentence will be passed only by the central court
  • The draft constitution of the RCSS/SSA will be discussed in April and ratified at the upcoming bi-annual meeting
  • Recruitment will be on a voluntary basis for people age between 18-45 for 3 years. For draftees it will be 5 years. ("There will be no conscription until there is a directive issued by  the central command," said Yawdserk)
  • Permits for minerals and timber must be obtained from the Chairman's office
  • There shall be no drug factories inside RCSS/SSA territory. RCSS/SSA members are strictly forbidden from engaging in the drug business
Sao Kherh Ngeun, Sao Sai Yi and Sao Siri (Photo: CH 7)

Retired fighting general Gun Jade concluded the meeting with a sound advice: "Shans must be big-hearted when it comes to dealing with non-Shans. Or else it'll be as good as pushing them into our enemy's arms."

The day ended with a (delicious) noodle dinner and a message of felicitations from U Aung Min, Naypyitaw's chief negotiation, up on Gen Yawdserk's re-election.
I left Shan Shine on the next morning.

Govt militias say poppies can be grown until 2019

Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:56 PM PST

The government may be launching poppy destruction campaigns to please the foreign governments, but the real fact is that farmers have also been told they are free to grow opium poppies until 2019, according to sources visiting the border.

"The situation is in places like Panhsay (in Namkham township) and Ta Moeng Ngen (Kutkhai township), people were growing them not only in their backyards but even in their frontyards, which they had not done before," reported a source close to the PMFs.
Lt-Gen Ko Ko (Photo: Xinhua)

Home minister Lt-Gen Ko Ko, who is also head of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), announced on 5 October 2012 that the 15 year (1999-2014) master plan to eliminate drugs had been extended to 2019 "in order to keep the momentum."

Naypyitaw, in November, launched a poppy destruction drive codenamed "Hsin Shweli", where they claimed to have devastated 12,774 hectares of poppy plantations, according to official media on 26 January.

Sources however have scoffed the figures as a gross exaggeration. "In several areas, government poppy destroyers were not allowed to enter them, let alone destroy them," one of the source painted out.

Another source agreed, saying it was the case in Phawng Hseng, under the control of militia leader T. Hkun Myat, and Ta Moeng Ngen, under the control of its militia leader U Myint Lwin aka Wang Guoda. Both also are elected MPs. As a result, government raiders were forced to turn back.

"The exception is Panhsay," said a source from Namkham. "U Kyaw Myint (Panhsay PMF chief and MP) had allowed the raiders to enter. But all the plantations were found to be harvested."

At the same time, U Kyaw Myint's Panhsay PMF had been accused of detaining and beating up two poppy field surveyors: Nai Tun Maung and U Ant Kyaw during their visit to Mong Wi, another village tract in Nam Kham under his control. Both are said to be civil servants at the Nam Kham Township General Administration.

Other townships in northern Shan State that SHAN has received reports are Mongmit, Namhsan, Mantong, Namtu, Hsenwi, Lashio and Tangyan. "Except for areas alongside the oil-gas pipeline, where security has been tightened, poppy plantations were not bothered by the authorities," said a source. "As for the said area, farmers were afraid to enter it to work on their plantations."

49 out of 35 townships in Shan State grew opium poppies, according to SHAN's Shan Drug Watch annual report in 2012.

Burma delegates to Jakarta returning today

Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:55 PM PST

Burma's delegates to the Indonesia-Myanmar Dialogue held in Jakarta, 16-17 February, are on their way back home today, according to Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) sources.
Sai Aung Myint Khaing (White Tiger), U Aung Thein, Sai Ngeun and Sai Win Maung (USDP) (Photo: RCSS/SSA)

On the resistance movements' side there are 4 delegates:
  • Saw Kwe Htoo Win               General Secretary, Karen National Union (KNU)
  • Saw Isaac                            Member, CEC, KNU
  • Saw Aung Lwin Shwe            Head, Foreign Affairs, KNU
  • Sai Ngeun                            Secretary, Peacebuilding Committee, RCSS/SSA
On the Burmese government's side, there are also 4 led by U Aung Thein, Deputy Minister of President's Office. Also included are 5 parliamentary delegates (all from the ruling party) and 3 political party representatives.
Some participants at the Jakarta Dialogue, 16-17 Febraury 2014: Kwe Htoo Win (#4), Sai Ngeun (#5), U Aung Thein (#7), and Isaac (#8). (Photo: RCSS/SSA)

Among the topics discussed by both sides were the role of the armed forces in the making of Indonesia's constitution, elections and regional autonomy, and creating a modern and professional armed forces.

The dialogue was jointly organized by the Habibie Center, Forum of Federations and Myanmar Egress.

Govt-Resistance meet postponed to March

Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:53 PM PST

The government-formed Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC) has informed the resistance-formed Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Committee (NCCT) that the joint meeting scheduled this weekend is to be moved to the first week of March, according to Hkun Okker, member of the NCCT yesterday.
Participants at the UPWC-NCCT meeting in Chiangmai, 29 January 2014 (Photo: Nyo Ohn Myint)

"U Aung Min (Vice Chairman #2, UPWC) wrote to us on 15 February," he said, "without naming the reason for this. Padoh Kwe Htoo Win (deputy leader of the NCCT and General Secretary of the Karen National Union) however says the reason appears to be that the Kar-Long (National Defense and Security Council, the nation's supreme decision making body) has not yet met to discuss the matter."

The "matter" is the NCCT's 29 page Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) draft approved by the ethnic armed movements at Law Khee Lar, KNU base, on 25 January. The government's latest draft, delivered on 29 December, by contrast, is only 13 pages.

"Nevertheless, the NCCT has been empowered to make adjustments as it sees fit except for the first chapter," an NCCT member told SHAN on 30 January.

The NCCT draft has 11 chapters plus an appendix for Military Code of Conduct (COC). The first chapter is "Basic Principles" which must be accepted by both belligerents.

After the meeting in Chiangmai on 29 January, the government side had reported to the media that the two sides were 80% in agreement.

Voice of Hsan Loi: SHAN's latest rival

Posted: 20 Feb 2014 06:52 PM PST

If it isn't enough to have Hsen Pai (Variety) to contend against for readership, the Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)'s monthly Panglong journal now has another formidable challenger, Voice of Hsan Loi (Voice of The Hills), that came out late last month.

Cover: Voice of Hsan Loi
The 24 page bilingual (Shan, Burmese) paper is a publication of the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA). "We will print 5,000 copies each month," said Sai Hseng Moeng, managing editor of the Hsan Loi. "Each copy is being sold for 500kyat ($0.5)."

The hard-hitting maiden issue has several interesting articles:
  • The article on the front page (in Shan) mourns for the loss of several Shan townships due to the 1947 Panglong Agreement, like Moeng Gawng (Mogaung), Moeng Yang (Moehnyin), Ban Maw (Bhamo), Putao and Khamti
  • One article in Burmese (p.22) accuses the Myanmar Peace Centre (MPC), set up by the government, of pretending to be working for the much-awaited Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) while in fact spending time trying to put the blame on the ethnic alliance United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) for the delay. It also charges the Tatmadaw (Burmese military) of undermining its own much-vaunted Three Causes (I.e. Non-disintegration of the Union, Non-disintegration of national solidarity and Perpetuation of national sovereignty) through its leaders' craze for rank and power
  • The non-Burman ethnic leaders have not also gotten away from its sting. The article on P.24 says "accusing the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), formed by the Laiza Conference in November of playing along with the government's game, is as good as refusing to acknowledge its efforts made despite enormous difficulties"
SHAN's Panglong, whose first issue came out in December, while also focusing on the ongoing peace process, is still "pulling its punches," according to a friendly critic.

"At this stage, we only want to present facts and let the readers decide for themselves," said Khuensai Jaiyen, its Thailand-based editor. "This is not the time to trade blows. I hope that time never comes."

The second issue of Panglong will be out sometime this month.
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