Thursday, November 8, 2012

Shan leader warns of cease-fire violations, reiterates call for federalism

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Thursday, 08 November 2012 16:26 Mizzima News

Further violations of the cease-fire by the Burmese army may result in the collapse of the treaty, warned Lt-Gen Yawdserk, the leader of the Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), according to a report on Thursday in the Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N.)

Yawdserk called for political dialogue, and said that he did not see much progress since chief government negotiator Aung Min met with him in November.

“We have been attacked 32 times during the past year,” he is quoted as saying. “One thousand families of our fighters have been waiting to move into the Mongtaw-Monghta area for resettlement [as agreed in January]. But 60 of our men sent to make preparations for the move have not been allowed to go anywhere.”

A Burmese government delegation signs a 12-point agreement with representatives of the RCSS/SSA on May 19 in Kengtung, Shan State. (Photo: Mizzima)

Yawdserk also noted that no agreement was made between the RCSS/SSA and a government delegation when they met on October 28 in Tachilek to discuss drug trafficking in the region.

In an interview this week with S.H.A.N., Yawdserk also called for a federal system and genuine democracy in Burma.

Speaking ahead of a major Shan conference to be held on November 26-28, the RCSS/SSA chief said, “The country needs to adopt a federal system, genuine democracy, and the right of the people to have a say in the amendment of the constitution.”

He reiterated that any peace dialogue must begin with Panglong, the 1947 treaty between pre-independence Burma and Shan-Chin-Kachin areas, collectively known then as Frontier Areas.

Yawdserk told S.H.A.N. that he would be unable to go to the conference because of illness.

The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party and the Shan State Progress Party / Shan State Army a (SSPP/SSA) will be represented at the talks.

From the Burmese government side, Vice President Sai Mawk Kham and ministers from the President’s Office, Aung Min and Soe Thein are expected to attend.

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