Shan Herald Agency for News |
- To Hopeland and Back, the 24th trip
- To Hopeland and Back, the 24th trip
- To Hopeland and Back, the 24th trip
| To Hopeland and Back, the 24th trip Posted: 06 Jan 2017 12:45 AM PST Day Five. Tuesday, 13 December 2016 13-15 December 2016 Workshop in Naypyitaw led by State Counselor's Office to seek out the "best federal system" for Burma held, facilitated by a Dr Marc Weller. (Report from meeting in Taunggyi)
Nothing much to say for today. We visit the Shan State Buddhist University (SSUB) established early this year by the Venerable Dr Khammai Dhammasami. Unfortunately, he is on a visit to the Weluwan monastery, and we miss him. SSUB is north of the city and Weluwan southwest. Fortunately, we meet some old friends among the monks in the campus, where they have been discussing whether the Abhidhamma, the third basket in the Tipitaka (Three Baskets/ Divisions of the Lord Buddha's Teachings), is to be considered an integral part, as it clearly did not come from his official recorder Ananda Thera, but said to have been transmitted through his chief disciple Sariputta Thera.  I make a note to investigate further and leave. We then visit the city's main bookshop, "The Millionaire," and spend some time looking for books that may interest us. I don't find anything for me but a poster announcing the soon-coming translation of Burma my mother and why I had to leave by Sao Myawadee Mangrai, consort of Sao Hso Hom Mongpawn, the son of one of the Shans' most revered leaders Sao Sam Tun, who was assassinated along with Aung San in 1947. I make another note to order from my friends in Australia, where she lives in exile with her husband. At 13:00, I'm at the federalism workshop run by the Canada-based Forum of Federations (FoF) at the Shan Culture and Literary Society's Meeting Hall. My arrival coincides with the discussion on Indonesian experience about how its military exited from politics. "It was through negotiations that it finally left," says the resource person. There I'm invited to join tomorrow's presentation by Dr Hannes Siebert who has been working in the country's peace process since May 2012. The first draft for the NCA was initiated by him. | ||||||||||||
| To Hopeland and Back, the 24th trip Posted: 05 Jan 2017 08:50 PM PST Day Four. Monday, 12 December 2016 China is another victim of the conflicts. Global Times, 12 December 2016  07:30 Air KBZ takes me to Nyaung Oo. 09:45 Arrival at Heho (Haiwo). 11:00 Check in at Paris Hotel, Taunggyi 11:15 Meeting of Ethnic-based National Level Organizing Committee, held at the spacious hall owned by Sao Kham Perng Fa aka Sai Khin Maung Nyunt, head of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, Taunggyi branch. This is the second and last day of the meeting. Youth leaders like Ying Lao and Sai Hak Kherh are facilitating it, attended by big names in local media like Lt-Gen Hso Ten, Sao Khwan Mong, Lt-Col Sai Ngeun, Brig-Gen Pawng Kherh, Sai Nyunt Lwin and Sai Kyaw Nyunt.  Here are some of the highlights: · There are both opportunities and risks in the peace process which all should be aware. In order to achieve peace, each side must give up at least 50% of their original demands. Thus far, nobody appears to be budging an inch. (Gen Hso Ten) · There is no need to have the Union Assembly (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw). By having it, the Upper House, which represents 12 members from each of the 14 state/regions, will always be outnumbered and outvoted by the Lower House. Instead power should be equally conferred to both houses. (Sai Aung Myint Khaing, White Tiger Party) · The Northern Irrawaddy basin which is now known as Sagaing Region and Kachin State, used to be Shan sovereign states. The proof is in this map produced by Ava in 1765 (during the region of Hsinbyushin). (Red Shan politician) Here are key decisions of the meeting: · The Shan committee will hold ethnic-based National Level Political Dialogue (ND) in 13 venues (8 inside Shan State and 5 outside) · 15 member field work committees will be formed and trained before undertaking field work, totaling 195 members · Capacity building workships for fieldwork members, fieldwork and the concluding meeting will be conducted during the month of January 2017 · The budget estimate for the programme is K 250,000,000 ($203,250). Funders have agreed to grant K 160,000,000 ($130,000). Organizing Committee will seek additional assistance from funders. (Funds for ND come from PSF) We have a dinner party in the evening with the RCSS/SSA delegation headed by Brig Gen Pawng Kherh to SSPP/SSA headquarters at Wanhai, Kehsi township, tomorrow.
N.B 1. State/region governments hold local based ND 2. EAO/registered parties hold ethnic based ND 3. CSOs hold topic based ND. | ||||||||||||
| To Hopeland and Back, the 24th trip Posted: 05 Jan 2017 07:56 PM PST Day Three. Sunday, 11 December 2016 When you are fighting, you focus on who's wrong But when you are making peace, you focus on what's wrong Anonymous Today, the main items of the meeting are as follows: · Better coordination among the signatories' work bodies: PPST, CT, (EAOS) JMC, (EAOS) UPDJC · Strategic review · Joint Coordination Body (JCB) for Peace Process Funding · Next EAOS summit  For the first item, a TOR drafting had been formed which met on 3-4 December and drew up the attached structure. It is approved by the meeting. For the second item, a strategy drafting committee is formed that is to meet on 17-19 December. Here, some of the participants' views may be of interest: · The government, or rather the military, is better prepared. A White Paper was issued in December 2015. The Podesta Group, the lobbying firm co-founded by former Bill Clinton Chief of Staff, has been engaged. Its job, according to Reason.com is to make "Ugly regimes look good." · Nobody should be worried about the EAOS's ultimate goal. It has already been set by the NCA, Article 1a: "Establish a union based on the principles of democracy and federalism in accordance with the outcomes of political dialogue and in the spirit of Panglong, that fully guarantees democratic rights, national equality and the right to self-determination on the basis of liberty, equality and justice while upholding the principles of non-disintegration of the union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of national sovereignty." For the third item, the following nominees are approved by the meeting: Padoh Kwe Htoo Win KNU Hkun Okker PNLO Sai Laeng RCSS Salai Thla Hei CNF Yebaw Myo Win ABSDF (as advisor) For the 4th item, the organizers have to be careful about the timing: · Most of January will be spent on national level political dialogue (ND) · 31 January is the 68th anniversary of the Karen Revolution · 7 February is the 70th anniversary of Shan National Day/Shan State Day · 12 February is the 20th anniversary of Panglong, and may mark the beginning of the UPC#3 aka 21 CP#2. The meeting also discusses the following topics: · To open an EAOS office in Chiangmai · To provide assistance to member of EAOs who are detained by government authorities · To issue a statement urging government and non-signatories to engage more in jaw-jawing than war-warring The last chore of the day for me then is an interview by the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppasala University, Sweden. The rest of the evening I spent packing my things although there aren't much to pack, except for the documents I have accumulated during the past three days. |
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