Thursday, August 16, 2012

SNLD party leader calls for more gov’t decentralization

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Thursday, 16 August 2012 16:21 Mizzima News

The head of the newly registered Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) has called for more decentralization of regions and states by the Burmese government.

Chairman Htoon Oo said,  “Power is still very much concentrated in the central government. The state governments should be empowered more so they can get used to handling their own affairs by themselves in the future.”

Regarding the peace process launched by President Thein Sein last year, Htoon Oo said, “What all the ethnic nationalities aspire is neither ownership of land nor business concessions, but to resolve existing political issues by political means. We should draw lessons from our past experiences and apply them.”

On the question of sanctions, he said. “Some of them have already been withdrawn, but not all. To remove them, human rights violations should end, the people and the government should work together to shape a more open society.”

Htoon Oo spoke to more than 250 representatives from over 20 political parties at the official opening of the SNLD head office in Mayangone Township, Rangoon Region.

In July, Htoon Oo was among 14 ethnic political leaders who met with Minister Aung Min in Rangoon to discuss the government’s peacemaking efforts with ethnic groups.

Railroad Minister Aung Min, vice chairman of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC), urged further cooperation from ethnic political parties and civil societies in the peace-building process and democratic reforms.

Htoon Oo told the Shan Herald that even as peace talks were going on, the Burmese military was still launching attacks against ethnic groups despite the fact that cease-fire agreements have been signed.

Aung Min had little to say about current military operations launched by the Burmese Army against ethnic groups in Kachin, Shan and Karen states.

Shan State was a self-supporting state during Burma’s pre-independence era.

The SNLD party elected an 11-member central executive committee including:

  • Htoon Oo                                 Chairman
  • Sai Saw Aung                           Vice Chairman
  • Sai Nood aka Sai Nyunt Lwin     General Secretary
  • Sai Lake                                  Joint Secretary and Spokesperson
  • Sai Fa                                     Public Relations
  • Nang Htwe Mon                       Treasurer
  • Sai Lern Myat                           Auditor

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