tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227047520892104732024-03-27T16:53:25.269-07:00Shan CultureAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-55598434474499784562016-10-02T15:34:00.001-07:002016-10-02T15:34:52.211-07:00Salween River is Being ‘Sold Off’ to China "<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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“While all eyes were on the Irrawaddy Myitsone dam, Burma has quietly sold off the Salween to China.”</div>
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Myanmar incu<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">rs wrath of civic groups as hydropower solutions remain its main priority<br />KHINE KYAW MYANMAR ELEVEN<br />YANGON August 24, 2015 1:00 am<br />MYANMAR'S Electric Power Ministry will go ahead with hydropower projects, the Minister for Electric Power, Industry, Science and Technology said last week amid reports of local resistance.</span></div>
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Nyan Tun U told the Confexhub's Myanmar Green Energy Summit that the government would fulfil its target to achieve universal electricity access by 2030. At present, only about 30 per cent of the population has access to electricity.</div>
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"We are comprehensively and systematically working on plans for sustainability, ensuring efficient and effective use of resources while considering protection of the environment. There is a very huge potential for the green energy sector in Myanmar. However, we need more investment and transfers of know-how," he said.</div>
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The tasks have been and will be carried out by Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise, a state utility, the ministry itself, local companies and joint ventures with foreign investors, he said.</div>
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The four main river basins - Ayeyawady, Chindwin, Thanlwin (Salween) and Sittaung - offer a combined capacity of up to 100 gigawatts of hydropower.</div>
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"At present, only 3 per cent of the country's potential has been developed and 26 per cent is under implementation. Small hydroplants are expected to develop more as a proper source for electrification of small villages," he said.</div>
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There are 35 small and medium hydropower stations across the country, generally ranging from one to 10 megawatts in capacity, generating 33.18MW in total. All of them were built by the government outside the grid system in order to supply electricity to rural areas.</div>
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As part of the national electrification programme, 386 reservoirs are expected to be implemented with total storage capacity of 19.40 billion cubic metres.</div>
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The minister also underscored the importance of other potential resources - wind, solar, biomass and other types of renewable energy.</div>
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Myanmar's per capita electricity consumption is the lowest in Asean, given the low electrification rate, low industry development and lack of investment. Yangon enjoys the highest electrification ratio of 67 per cent, followed by Nay Pyi Taw at 54 per cent and Mandalay at 31 per cent. The remaining rural areas are still poorly electrified with the average ratio of 16 per cent.</div>
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Strengthening the energy sector is critical for reducing poverty and enhancing medium and long-term development prospects. Plans for universal electrification must go ahead as it is an urgent requirement for social progress including health, education and other essential services, he added.</div>
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During the conference, Min Khaing, director of the ministry's Hydropower Implementation Department, said 29 hydropower projects that are expected to produce 31.62GW have been implementing on a joint venture scheme. Three hydro projects with installed capacity of 190.4MW are being implemented on the build, operate and transfer scheme.</div>
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"Hydropower projects will be in the form of public-private partnership. We are also holding public consultations for the sustainability of the projects. At the same time, we mainly focus on capacity building by uplifting skills and motivation of our staff," he said.</div>
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Civic groups have opposed the construction of six large-scale dams on Thanlwin River. Notably, they said the Mongtong, the biggest dam on the Thanlwin River, is unlikely to take place during this government's term due to public opposition, said a community representative.</div>
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Nang Kham Mai, coordinator of Action for Shan State Rivers, said more than 6,000 villagers from several eastern Shan State townships recently blocked attempts by Australia's Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) to conduct surveys for an environmental impact assessment and social impact assessment.</div>
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"We strongly oppose implementation of the dam as it will have huge impacts on more than 100,000 people living along the river. Even today, those living in eastern Shan State are worried about flooding. If the dam is built, our lives will be definitely at risk," she said.</div>
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According to Nang Kham Mai, in late July SMEC tried to conduct surveys in 14 villages in Mongtong Township. It could do so in only four.</div>
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SMEC field surveyors handed out cloth bags, bottled drinks and snacks to surveyed households. The bags were returned the next day with anti-dam posters.</div>
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Another issue hindering the project is the fact that SMEC can not enter the Wa Special Administrative Region. The company's representatives were in Pangshang, the capital of the region, but United Wa State Army leaders told them that the situation was too unstable and they should return in a few months to discuss the matter, said Nang Kham Mai.</div>
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Mongtong experienced fighting in June.</div>
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According to Nang Kham Nawng, coordinator of the Shan Sapawa Environmental Organisation, the area is now restricted - no one is allowed to enter it without prior permission.</div>
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Mongtong dam would encompass 640 square kilometres. More than 300,000 would be evacuated.</div>
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It would be one of the biggest dams in Southeast Asia with a height of 241 metres. It is among six dams earmarked to be built on the Thanlwin River, which covers Shan, Kayah and Kayin states.</div>
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Ninety per cent of its 7,000 megawatts capacity would be sold to China and Thailand while the remaining 10 per cent is set for domestic use.</div>
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Due to its gigantic size, the dam is expected to take 14 years to complete at the cost of about US$8 billion. Its major shareholders are the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, China's Three Gorges Corp and Myanmar's Ministry of Electric Power and International Group of Entrepreneurs.</div>
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Saw Moe Myint, a mining consultant for the Myanmar Green Network and a retired general manager of the Mines Ministry, also opposes the proposed dam projects on the river including Mongtong.</div>
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He said that the plan to divert Thanlwin's water to other regions may result in serious environmental consequences.</div>
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"The dams are located in the vicinity of the Kyauk Kyan earthquake fault line," he said.</div>
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"In Mon State, local NGOs have been active in opposing the dam, but have found little support from the country's politicians".</div>
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The Salween is estimated to sustain up to 10 million people and thousands of species of plants and fish, including dozens of endangered species. It also at the heart of one of the largest proposed dam networks in the world.</div>
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At least 19 projects are planned, underway or completed along the river over an area stretching from the Tibetan Plateau to the Andaman Sea. To date, neither the promised economic benefits or the feared environmental and human consequences have been realised, with the construction of many dams slowed by protests and civil conflicts.</div>
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"If the dam construction continues, it will affect not only this region but everywhere along the whole Salween... The people living along the banks, the fishermen, the farmers, it will affect everyone."</div>
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Water diversion plan - - Feasibility study ordered for Salween water diversion project in Thailand</div>
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The project will draw the water from Nam Yuam, a tributary of Salween River, into the Bhumibol dam in Tak province which has the capacity to store up to 4,000 million cubic metres of water. Construction cost is estimated at about 50 billion baht.</div>
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Save The Salween Network Statement<br />Yangon, February 22, 2016</div>
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Plans to build dams on the Salween River, started by the previous military regime, have recently been accelerated by U Thein Sein’s government, which, on February 2, 2016, without informing or consulting Burma’s citizens, signed an agreement with China allowing implementation of 18 out of 29 hydropower dam projects planned by Chinese companies in Burma. This is not only going to create misunderstanding between ethnic peoples and the new government, but will also have impacts on ethnic armed groups and the current peace process.</div>
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1. Experts have pointed out that climate changes and natural disasters taking place in Burma can be linked to existing dams.</div>
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2. According to research along the Salween by earthquake experts, the building of dams will have seismically disruptive impacts on major fault lines, and should definitely not go ahead.</div>
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3. The Mong Ton dam, planned on the Salween River in Shan State, will be the largest hydropower project in Southeast Asia, and will threaten the lives, homes and property of countless communities in Shan, Karenni, Karen and Mon States.</div>
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4. The current Salween dam projects are not only violating the human rights and indigenous rights of local people, but are violating the civil rights of Burma’s citizens.</div>
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5. The Salween dam projects are fuelling tension and conflict between different ethnic armed groups. Government troops are also using the pretext of providing security for the dams to expand their presence in ethnic areas. This is threatening the peace process and the lives, homes and property of local ethnic peoples.</div>
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6. We do not believe in the process of granting the Environmental Compliance Certificate for the dams, as there has been no transparency and no proper consultation with local people in accordance with EIA/SIA rules and procedures, and local people will gain no benefit from the dams.</div>
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7. In accordance with the new government’s promise to guarantee ethnic rights and set up a federal democratic system, the Save the Salween Network urges the new government to stop all plans to build dams on the Salween River, as they will have disastrous impacts on the lives of countless ethnic communities in Burma.</div>
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Contact persons:</div>
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1. Mi Ah Chai 09255784905 (Burmese, Mon)</div>
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2. Saw Tha Phoe 09782639714 (Burmese, English)</div>
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3. Oattra Aung 09252171819 (Burmese, Karenni)</div>
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4. Nang Kham Naung 09428367849 (Burmese, Shan)</div>
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5. Ko Thein Zaw 09794316944 (Burmese)</div>
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Shan Activists Call on Suu Kyi to Halt Salween Dams</div>
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“We, the local ethnic populations, will be the one who suffer the negative consequences of these dams, and it is not likely we will get to enjoy the benefits. These dams will destroy our environment and our farmlands will be flooded,” the Shan activist said.</div>
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“[Suu Kyi] promised equal rights between all ethnic groups and the people of Burma, so we hope that she will keep her word. Everything is in her hands — she is the leader of the country, her party is leading the country, so everything is up to her.” </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-89401889014532662982013-12-25T09:32:00.000-08:002013-12-25T09:32:13.552-08:00<p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"> <a title="View Shan Culture Important Doc[1] on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/193676954/Shan-Culture-Important-Doc-1" style="text-decoration: underline;" >Shan Culture Important Doc[1]</a> by <a title="View Sai Woon Hseng's profile on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/sai_hseng_1" style="text-decoration: underline;" >Sai Woon Hseng</a></p><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/193676954/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-1z14xxz3t303bn86nlfg&show_recommendations=true" data-auto-height="false" data-aspect-ratio="0.706896551724138" scrolling="no" id="doc_56405" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-47156761085737695652013-02-01T07:05:00.001-08:002013-02-01T07:05:41.696-08:0066th Anniversary of Shan State National Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno51J50zUD2uZ0LeGKDEulamZ_-fe1ny9NF5GVJAf5dWJ0_1A-4rWHJIipKJeRONpYt8RMbgN9aQCGEDqqBTHbT6E0Xt20ux-TYJQNiPc2ClsQgkcpc5ktWqSonfmUnftFGOswP7YKLXl/s1600/409768_455939014455091_185493291_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno51J50zUD2uZ0LeGKDEulamZ_-fe1ny9NF5GVJAf5dWJ0_1A-4rWHJIipKJeRONpYt8RMbgN9aQCGEDqqBTHbT6E0Xt20ux-TYJQNiPc2ClsQgkcpc5ktWqSonfmUnftFGOswP7YKLXl/s320/409768_455939014455091_185493291_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Public By </span><a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100001169895221&extragetparams=%7B%22group_id%22%3A323405654338366%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/zaaikhonelengfa?group_id=323405654338366" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: initial;">Kor Kham</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Shan National Day” or “Shan State Day”?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">One problem facing Shans each year when 7 February draws near is whether the day marking the unity between ruling princes and their people against British suzereignty should be called “Shan National Day” as it used to be or “Shan State Day” as renamed by the military junta that came into power in a bloody coup in 1962.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Those in favor of the former name say we should stick to the historical label</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Those against it say “Shan National” only means the day is only for Shans and not for non-Shans who together constitute 50% of the population, according to the pre-Independence census; as such “Shan State Day” is preferable to the historical name</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">So why did they agree to call it “Shan National Day” in the first place, when, out of the then 33 princely non-Shan princes and two of the leading non-Shan princes (Tawngpeng and Hsihseng) were highly educated and well-informed?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">The answer lies in both the ambiguity of the term “Nation” and how rulers and people understand the word, then and now.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">When you look into the dictionary, two simple distinct meanings are found:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">All the people in a country</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">A tribe or race</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">At the time when the word “Shan National Day” was coined, it was quite obvious most of the ruling princes thought it applied to all the people in Shan State, then known as Federated Shan States. I remember when I was a kid, people, both Shan and non-Shan, joined together to observe the annually held event.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">However, as I grew older, the interpretation began to change. People started saying, “Shan National Day means it is only for Shans, and not us (PaO, Palaung, Wa, Lahu, etc). We should call it Shan State Day, so that all of us are included.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">All those complainants then and now, appear to be unaware that the decision to name the day as “Shan National Day” in 1947 was signed by none other than Hkun Pan Sing, President of the Shan States Council and Palaung prince to boot.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">By 1963, a year after the coup, it became clear unless it was called Shan State Day, one was certain to risk being called a rebel or a separatist. Among the resistance ranks, the situation was almost exactly the reverse. One could risk being accused as a junta follower by calling it Shan State Day.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">To placate both camps, some have begun to call it “Shan State National Day” which in effect pleases few people.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">One of my late uncles explained to me why the term National Day was opposed by the junta. “For many countries, a national day means the day you either declare independence or were granted independence,” he said. “The generals simply don’t want youths like you to get ideas about it.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">He may be right. I’m sure he was.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">However, unless a new Shan State Council takes the matter into its hand and reaches a new resolution, I’m afraid we will still be arguing among ourselves how we should properly call the day, every time 7 February is in the offing.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-18104788799236621162013-01-17T12:32:00.000-08:002013-01-17T14:34:40.655-08:00dhamma talk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-43512811180961577662012-10-13T18:36:00.000-07:002012-10-13T18:36:58.487-07:00The Brief History of The Shan State and its resistance Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>The brief history of the Shan State and its resistance Day.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>By Nam Hio</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>20 March 2012</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>The Shan State is a state, 62500 square miles, situated on the plateau, in the northeastern</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>part of Burma. It is bordered with Kayah (Karenni) state in the south, Thailand</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>in the south east, Laos in the east, China in the north east and Kachin state in the north.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>The Tai/Shan live in the area that is today’s Shan State (Mong Tai) for over a</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>thousand years. The Shan State has always existed as an independent state throughout</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the history, Sao Phas (Princedom) ruled and formed the Shan State as a Federated</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>State, they ruled their territories and governed their own states independently until</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>1948.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>In 18-20 centuries, due to the British colonization and</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>expansion to South and South-east Asia, the political</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>situation and fate of the Shan State has changed. In</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>1815-1818, the British occupied India and annexed</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Assam into India. The British troops further its</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>expansion to Burma. In 1824, 1852 and 1885, the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Burmese resisted for three times against the British</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>invasions. However, in 1886 the powerful British</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>defeated the Burmese resistance and annexed the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Burmese Kingdom (including Arakan and Mon states).</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Kayah (Karenni) states recognized as Sovereign States.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>In the meantime, fighting broke out among the Shan</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>princes over the disputes of the territories. The</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Yawnghwe and Hsipaw princes requested for the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>British protection. After that, the British sent its troops</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>into the Federated Shan State and Shan State become a</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>protectorate state of the British Empire in 1886.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>In 1930s, Burmese nationalists led by Aung San raise</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the campaign for independence. Aung San was anti-</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>British and staunchly anti-imperialist. In March 1940,</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>he attended the Indian National Congress Assembly in</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Ramgarh, India. However, the government issued a</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>warrant for his arrest due to his attempts to organise a</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>revolt against the British and he had to flee Burma. He</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>went first to China, seeking assistance from the government there (China was still</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>under nationalist government during World War 2), but he was intercepted by the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Japanese military occupiers in Amoy, and was convinced by them to go to Japan</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>instead.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>In February 1941, Aung San returned to Burma, with an offer of arms and financial</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>supports from the Fumimaro Konoe government. He returned briefly to Japan to</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>receive more military training, along with the first batch of young revolutionaries who</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>came to be known as the Thirty Comrades. The former capital of Burma, Rangoon</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>(now Yangon), fell to the Japanese in March 1942 (as part of the Burma Campaign in</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>World War II). On 1 August 1943, the Japanese declared Burma to be an independent</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>nation. Aung San was appointed War Minister, and the army was again renamed, this</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>time as the Burma National Army (BNA). Aung</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>San became sceptical of Japanese promises of true</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>independence and of Japan's ability to win the war.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>He made plans to organize an uprising in Burma</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>and made contact with the British authorities in</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>India, in cooperation with Communist leaders</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Thakin Than Tun and Thakin Soe. On 27 March</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>1945, he led the BNA in a revolt against the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Japanese occupiers and helped the Allies defeat the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Japanese.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>During the Second World War, the British promised</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>to grant independence to her colonies that support</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the British war against Japanese invasion.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Independence would be granted by the end of the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>war. Many Chin, Kachin, Karen and Shan took the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>opportunity and remain loyal to the British and they</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>fight the Japanese and Burmese nationalists. Many</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Sao Phas led their people to help the British in the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>war against the Japanese in the Second World War.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>The war ended in August 1945 and finally, the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Japanese lose the Second World War. The people of</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Shan State started to prepare for independence from</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the Britain.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>In 1945, the Shan Sao Phas prepared to form the unity among the ethnicities. In 1946,</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the Shan Sao Phas invited the Kachin, Chin representative to Panglong, Southern</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Shan State. In February 1947, the Shan, Kachin, Chin representative formed Supreme</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Council of the United Hill People (SCOUHP). At that time, the Shan Sao Phas wanted</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>to transform its old prince administrative systems into a democratic system. The Shan</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>State Council was formed that comprised of 7 Sao Phas and 7 people representatives.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Even after Japanese withdraw from the Shan State, the Shan Sao Phas and its leaders</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>decided to stay under the British Empire as a dominion state. It is because they</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>realised that Shan State people were not strong and ready in terms of governing and</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>political knowledge. However, they would change into the independent country when</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>are ready. And the British make it clear and promised to hand back to the people of</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Shan state.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Meanwhile, Gen. Aung San and the Burmese leader started to persuade the Shan and</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>other ethnic leaders to join them for gaining independence from British. On 12</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>February 1947, the Shan Sao Phas, Chin and Kachin leader signed an agreement with</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Gen. Aung San and the Burmese representative to form a federal union of Burma and</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>obtain independence from Britain. The agreement was known as the ‘‘Panglong</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Agreement’’.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>The agreement had laid the foundation of the country and the 1948 constitution.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Under Union of Burma’s 1948 Constitution, Chapter 10 (Right of Secession) stated</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>that: ‘every State has the right to secede from the Union of Burma after 10 years (if</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>they wish) from the date on which this Constitution comes into operation’.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>According to the Panglong agreement, the federal government cannot send its troops</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>into the State without permission from the state government. At this point, Shan</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>leaders believed that the Burmese would not send its troops without reason. The</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Panglong agreement stated that the ethnic groups’ relation with Burma shall be on a</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>federal basis with:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>• Equal right and status</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>• Full autonomy for the Shan and other ethnic states</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>• Financial autonomy vested in the Federated Shan State shall be maintained</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>• Citizens of the Frontier Areas shall enjoy rights and privileges which are</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>regarded as fundamental in democratic countries and</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>• The right to secede from the Federation at any time after the attainment of</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Independence, later a period of 10 years was agreed which was included in the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Burma’s Constitution 1948.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>These clauses were essential to balance the power between the Burmese (who</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>dominated the federal government) and the other ethnics.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>On 4 January 1948, Shan together with Burma</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>became independence from Britain. Despite of that,</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the Sao Phas were still in power. After the departure</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>of the British, the Shan leader formed a government</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>and an assembly. However, on the defence and</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>security, the Shan leaders totally rely on the central</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>government and let the Burmese government in</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>charge of the security.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>In 1950, the Kuomintang was defeated by Chinese</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Communist government that led by Mao Tse Tung.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>The defeated Kuomintang troops fled into the Shan</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>State. After that the central Burmese government sent</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>its troops to Shan State with the pretext securing the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>border and fighting off the Kuomintang troops.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>However, the Burmese Army did not defend the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>border nor fight the Kuomintang troops but to seize</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the Shan State. They regard the Shan as the number</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>one enemy that could threaten to the Burmese power.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Since then, the Burmese troops started to abuse,</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>destroy and oppress the people of Shan State.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>In the early of 1956, human rights violations in the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Shan State by the Burmese army were worsening.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>That prompted the Shan patriots who love freedom</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>and justice, started to oppose the Burmese government and they reacted within the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>boundary of democratic system. The Sangha Association of Shan State was formed</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>with goal of fighting for rights of region, culture and monk communities. On 27-28</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>December 1956, Shan State Organisation also held a conference in Mong Yai,</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>northern Shan State in which 150 Shan Sao Phas and people representatives attended.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>All participants agreed to oppose the actions of Anti Fascist People Freedom League</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>(AFPFL) and came up with the following decisions:</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>1. Shan State Organisations strongly opposed the contract that signed between the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Burma central government and Israel that allowed Israel to use 1 million acres of</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>land in Shan State for agriculture.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>2. Shan State must get some profit from Namtu Bawtwin silver mine in Northern</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Shan State.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>3. Shan State must have the share of Japanese compensation due to the loss of the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>people of Shan state in the World War 2.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>4. In order to build peace and stability in Shan State, Shan State government would</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>arrange its own plans.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>5. To hold the conference of the people of Shan State and leader as soon as possible.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>6. The central government must provide the annual budget to the Shan State.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>7. The Union government must cancel the tax on profit that collect in Shan State.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>8. Shan State people must have the rights to form political parties and social</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>organisations.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>9. Shan State would stop its cooperation with the (SCOUHP) temporally and will</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>resume its participation due to the appropriate time.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>10. Shan leaders are not necessary to give up their administrative powers.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>11. Based on the constitution, Shan State would secede from the Union after ten</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>years.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>12. Shan State would not join and become a member of (AFPFL).</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>After that, on 7 February 1957, Shan State people rallied and demanded their right</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>peacefully.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>On 16-19 May 1957, the Shan leaders hold another conference in Mong Yai and</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>agreed to form an army to protect the Shan State. Beside, they perceived that Burmese</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>government would not keep its promise to the Panglong Agreement and would not</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>allow the independence of Shan State. Sao Noi aka Saw Yan Ta, (a native of Mong</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Wan and grew up in Bhamo experienced in military during World War 2) was chosen</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>to form the army.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>On May 21 1958, Sao Noi led his 30 comrades with 7 guns and formed a resistance</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>army and named as Noom Serk Harm (The Young Warriors). The group held the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>tradition ceremony of taking an oath and vowed to fight for the</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>independence at Sa Marn valley in Mong Kyuak, Mong Pan</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Township, and Southern Shan State. Later they set up their</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>headquarters in Pon Kean near Mong Kyuak village.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>The news of Sao Noi’s fighting with the Burmese Army spread</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>throughout the Shan State that prompted the Shan State people</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>(who had been oppressed by the Burmese Army in ten years) took</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>up armed and resisted against the Burmese regime throughout the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Shan State. The battles for freedom spread the whole Shan State as</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>quickly as the wildfire. However, due to the difficulties of</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>communication and transportation, the resistance movements</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>became many separate groups instead of forming a united front. In</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>the meantime, the Burmese Army offered for the peace talk to</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>different groups.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>There were even many resistance groups were formed during the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>struggle for freedom, all of Shan patriots have agreed to regard that Sao Noi was the</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>first Shan leader who resisted the Burmese Army on 21 May 1958. Therefore, 21 May</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>is commemorated as ‘Shan State People Resistance Day’.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>References</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>1. Making Enemies ‘War and State Building in Burma’.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shan_State.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>3. http://www.euro-burma.eu/history_14.html.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>4. Documents translated from Burmese by Amnesty International.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>5. The 10th Anniversary of Founding of Restoration Council of the Shan State.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>6. http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/index.php/burma/about-burma/aboutburma/</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>ethnic-groups.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>7. Whither Shanland by U Htoon Myint (Taunggyi).</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>8. The Shan State secession Issue by U Htoon Myint (Taunggyi).</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>9. Human Rights Report by Seng Wan</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>10. http://www.shaninform.org/article_eng/may_08/Shan%20Resistance%20Day.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>php</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><b>Sao Noi</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-30965364694782701982012-07-10T18:18:00.001-07:002012-07-10T18:18:11.393-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.shaninform.org/About/about_tai.php#" style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; text-decoration: none;">About Tai(Shan)</a></h2>
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<small>Posted by <a href="http://www.shaninform.org/About/about_tai.php#" style="color: #16b1b0;">Mawkmoonmaue</a></small></div>
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About Tai(Shan)</h3>
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The Shan who call themselves the Tai are found primarily the Shan State of Burma. The Burmese word "Shan" (referring to the Tai) is variously spelled Syam, Syaam, and Syan in the inscriptions of the Pagan period (1044-1334) and in old Burmese texts. In modern Burma the Tai people are called Shan, as are various other branches of the Tai people of Shan state in Burma.<br />The Shan are a branch of the Tai race. Historical accounts maintain that Upper Burma was the place of the Pyu and the Shan before the establishment of the Pagan kingdom by Anawratha (1044-1077). In Yunnan the Mao kingdom of the Shan existed until it was subdued by the Ming court. From that base they often sent forays into Upper Burma and Assam. Later they had Shan colonies in some parts of southern and northern Shan state, Kachin state, and Sagaing Division in Upper Burma, and all these colonies were under the suzerainty of a Mao chief. Eventually the Shans also controlled almost all Upper Burma. This Shan period of Burmese history lasted from about 1300 until 1540. The Shan of Yunnan, however, were subdued by the Chinese after three successive wars (1441-1448). The final destruction of Shan power in Yunnan occurred in 1604 when the Chinese troops swooped down on Mongmao. After the collapse of the Mao kingdom in Yunnan, the power of the Shan in Burma also weakened and the group finally disintegrated into many small Shan principalities. The development of the Shan in Burma depended much upon the political history of Burma which eventually divided the Shan into such groups as:</div>
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a. the Khamti Shan (the Tai in the Khamti region of Sagaing division in Upper Burma)<br />b. the Mao Shan (the Tai in the Mao River valley in northern Shan state)<br />c. the Tai Leng (the Red Tai in Kachin state)<br />d. the Gum Shan (the Tai Hkun in the Kengtung district of eastern Shan state)</div>
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The Shan (Tai) are spread throughout Burma, in Shan state, Kachin state, and Sagaing division. The states and divisions in Burma were fixed during the British administration period (1885-1948). In the time of the Burmese kings, the Shan (Tai) areas were named "Saint Taing," "Kambawza Taing," "Haripunza Taing," "Khemawara Taing," etc. In the British administration period (1885-1948), Burma was reorganized into states, divisions, and hill tracts. The present Shan state was formed during the British period, becoming the "Federated Shan States" in 1922. The rest of the Shan areas in Burma were put into Sagaing division, Myitkyina, Bhamo, and Putao districts. The geographical barriers, difficulties in communication, and the system of administration since the times of the Burmese kings separated the Shan from each other, resulting in each group developing its own way of culture and tradition. Thus, those Shan who settled in the Khamti region are called Khamti Shan, those in the Mao River valley are Mao Shan, and those in eastern Shan state are the Hkuns.</div>
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A Brief History of Tai(Shan)</h3>
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“Shan” comes from the Burmese rendering of “Siam” or “Siem” the name by which the ancient Khmer or Cambodians call the Tai or Thai People. The Shan are members of the Tai Speaking Peoples who today live in northeastern India, Burma & the Federated Shan States, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and south & southwestern China. In 1957, Premier Chou-en-lai said that there are over 100 million Tai or Dai Speaking Peoples in the People’s Republic of China.</div>
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Historically Shan or Tai Kingdoms & Principalities have stretched from northeast India through Southeast Asia and into south & southwestern China and the Shan today are linguistically and culturally closely related to modern Thailand and Laos.</div>
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In the late 19th century the Shan Principalities on the Shan Plateau were annexed by the British following their conquest of the Burmese kingdom of Mandalay and British Burma then consisted of the Shan States, “Burma Proper” and the Frontier Areas.</div>
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Administratively, the Shan States as a Protectorate ruled themselves & had autonomy in internal affairs separate from “Burma Proper” which was governed directly by the British Governor in Rangoon – and indeed Banknotes of British Burma were inscribed in English, Shan & Burmese.</div>
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After the end of WWII the Shan Princes & Representatives in 1946 convened the First Panglong Conference in the Shan States attended also by Leaders & Representatives of the British Burma Frontier Areas. A second Conference was called in 1947 to which the Burmese came as Observers and it was at this second Conference that General Aung San of the Burmese tabled a proposal to include “Burma Proper” in forming a Union. In the vote that followed, the Shan narrowly by a margin of 51:49%, voted for the Union of equal partnership and because of this decision take by the Shan, the Chin, Kachin & Karenni also ratified the Panglong Agreement which also specified the Right of Secession – a Right that is also recognized in the 1948 Union of Burma Constitution, Chapter X specifically stating the Shan State’s Right to Secede from the Union of Burma after 10 years.</div>
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Following the second Burmese military coup in 1962, the Shan State has lost all its autonomy and is now under Nazi-like occupation of the Burmese SPDC regime. In 2000, 2004 & 2006, Shan Leaders secretly and clandestinely held meetings and canvassed the people of the Se-Viengs or Counties of the Shan lands resulting in 2000 & 2004 in a 48:14 voting for independence and that majority rising to 54:8 or 87% majority for independence in 2006.</div>
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On April 17, 2005 President Prince Hso-khan-pha of Yawnghwe, under instructions from the Shan Leadership inside occupied Federated Shan States (consisting of Shan, Palaung, Pa-O, Kokang States and other ethnic communities), made a Declaration of Independence and the Shan Government is now working to fulfill its Mandate for Independence and to deliver humanitarian relief to the victims of Burmese SPDC atrocities and war crimes.</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-41797023120997225862012-05-05T18:00:00.000-07:002012-05-05T18:00:37.742-07:00<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/92543865/Phing-Kaw-Zeng-Tai-New-Year" style="margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Phing Kaw Zeng - Tai New Year</a><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/92543865/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-10djzvsysu7cy9ft31ha" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="0.69466515323496" scrolling="no" id="doc_68317" width="100%" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-24915015783309061712012-03-12T19:04:00.001-07:002012-03-12T19:04:35.193-07:00Pone Li Lai Lu Kyawng Part 1<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_PU7r4122I0?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-11769546341834729732012-02-25T05:27:00.000-08:002012-02-25T05:27:39.864-08:00Message on The 59th Anniversary of Shan National Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">It is interesting to note that the linkage and emergence of the modern Shan State, its national day and the formation of the Union of Burma are so intertwined; it is almost impossible to discuss the making of this historical formation separately.</div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The date 7th February 1947 is a defining moment in the record of the Shan history as a modern nation. On that day, Shan princes and the people's representatives of the Shan States demonstrated their newfound unity to declare it a "national day" which were followed by the resolutions of "Shan National Anthem", "Shan National Flag" and the formation of "Shan State Council" on the 11th and 15th of February, 1947 respectively. These had been done without reference to the British colonial overlords, who claimed protector ship over the Federated Shan States since 1886-87 (one year after the fall of the Burman kingdom and the Alaungpaya or Gonbaung dynasty).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The formation of the Shan State Council by Shan leaders autonomously of the British represents a declaration by the Shan that they are a sovereign, free nation. This bold action constitutes a Shan declaration of independence from foreign rule, and the date, 7th February 1947, marks the entry of the Shan people onto the world's historical stage as a modern nation.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The people of Shan States and leaders decided in this very year later at Panglong, on the 12th of February, to join with U Aung San and the AFPFL (Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League) and leaders of other nationalities, to live together under one flag as co-independent and equal nations. This marks the birth of a nation-state now known as "Union of Burma".</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">It is not an exaggeration to state that without Panglong Agreement or Accord, signifying the intent and willingness of the free peoples and nations of what could be termed British Indochina, there would have not been born the Union of Burma in 1948.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Failed Cohabitation</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">As all know, the experiment to live together in harmony within the Union of Burma has been a disaster. In 1962, the Burmese military sized state power in a coup and declared the Union Constitution abolished. In so doing, the Burmese terminated the only existing legal bond between them and the other ethnic nationalities. The declaration of the suspension of the Constitution was in effect a self-denunciation that Burma had overnight become an aggressor-nation instead of partner.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Since then, Shan State has been treated as a de facto colony and occupied territory by the Burmese army. Its forced assimilation and Burmanization policies to subdue our national identity have devastated the Shan homeland and make the people homeless and refugees. Looking at the contemporary situation, one could only term the Shan nation as a downtrodden and battered one, reeling under the occupation of the oppressive Burmese military regime. Gross human rights violations, genocide and cultural genocide, population transfer designed to make the Shan a minority in their homestead, and robbing them of their birthright sovereignty and self-determination are glaring injustice, which push the Shan into the category of sub-human or slaves, especially in the eyes of their occupiers.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The same situation also applies to the Karenni, Karen, Mon, Arakan, Chin and Kachin States.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">But even under such circumstances and after more than four decades of brutal suppression and occupation, the Shan sense of "national identity" and the aspiration to be the master of their own faith have not diminish but have grown stronger. The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy's (SNLD) victory in 1990 nation-wide election in the whole Shan State; the continued political activities of the Shan State Army North within the limited political space provided by the Burmese military junta; the active armed resistance of the Shan State Army South, together with the bulk of Shan State National Army; and the highly self-conscious Shan civil societies in keeping the national identity alive under intense pressure of the Burmese military junta; are indications of a nation, which refuses to be cowed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Given such a backdrop, it is not at all surprising that the majority of the Shan people wants to opt out of the now-defunct union for good. The question also arises as to why the mainstream Shan organizations are endorsing the notion to rebuild a new Federal Union - together with all the other ethnic nationalities, Burman included - instead of an outright total independence and clean sweep secession.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">There are two essential, important factors, which need emphasizing regarding this issue, at least from the mainstream organizations and Shan leadership point of view. One is the ever changing global perspective in relation to the issue of self-determination and the other, the constant transformation of needs and value system or aspiration of a people at a given time and space.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
Changing Global Perspective</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In 1945, the United Nations member states count was 41 and by 2002, it has reached 191. Up till 1990, most emerging new states, with a few exceptions like Bangladesh and Singapore, are the product of decolonization program of the United Nations based on the so-called salt-water doctrine. However, the break-up of Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia in the early 90s has added up some 19 more new states, which raises hope that the disintegration of the existing states will continue. But this expectation was short-lived and with the end of the cold war, the pro-status quo stance gained acceptance again and the disintegration of existing states subsided. During the period of 2000 to 2006, only one new state emerged, which was a mixture of decolonization trend as prescribed by the United Nations and liberation movement or disintegration of an existing state from the point of view of the Indonesian government.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The global trend seems to be moving towards integration than disintegration, as can be seen by the expansion of European Union, now numbering 25 states. At the same time, the international community's wariness of having to deal with failed states, such as Somalia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, have prompted to reject disintegration and push for more integration.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">If one looks around the conflict spectrum in Asia-Pacific region, most opposition movements against the existing states have toned down their secessionist tendency and are now accommodating autonomy solution or federal system arrangement, rather than secession. The Tamil Tiger of Sri Lanka and the GAM of Ache/Indonesia are good examples, which have grasped the changing international mood in relation to their aspiration of self-determination.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Christian Hillgruber, in his " The Admission of New States to the International Community " writes:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The integration of a new state in the international community does not take place automatically, but through co-optation; that is, by individual and collective recognition on the part of the already existing states. By the procedure of recognition, these states exercise their prerogative to determine in advance whether the newcomer, in their judgment, is able and willing to carry out all its obligations as a subject of international law, whether it will be a reliable member of the international community.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Shan State is situated between China and Thailand and also shares thousands of kilometers borderline with both states and couldn't expect recognition easily, even if the Shan could throw out the Burmese occupation forces, for both countries view the conflict as an internal one. Furthermore, while China has adopted an Anti-Secession Law on 14 March 2005, Thailand is bound by it commitment in ASEAN to view Burma as a sole political entity and fellow member of the bloc, not to mention the principle of non-intervention and territorial integrity, which are cornerstones of the organization.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Transformation of Needs and Value System</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">According to the unpublicized survey conducted by the Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN), the majority of the Shan people would opt for total independence, if given the chance to choose. It is also not surprising that the people would prefer secession, under such immense rights violations and oppression by the Burmese occupation forces. It couldn't be otherwise.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Again, it boils down to the point if the people's desire could be achieved in the foreseeable future, given the unfavorable international mood on such goal setting. Practically, the Shan are faced with a dilemma to choose between secession and genuine federalism. But it is also important to note that the Federal Proposal of 1961, before the military coup, is the brainchild of the Shan leadership at that time, which was aimed at changing the Burman dominated unitary system into a genuine federal structure with equal status for all ethnic nationalities. All non-Burman ethnic groups endorse this as a balanced and acceptable solution until today. Meanwhile, this proposed arrangement also find acceptance among most of the Burman opposition camps as a way to resolve the conflict as a whole.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In this connection, it is also important to look at the ever-changing needs and value of the concerned population at a given space and time. The Kurdish people's participation in the recent Iraq federal setup, the undecided faith of the Albanian people in Kosova, the conflict management in Ache/Indonesia, and the ongoing talks between the government of India and Naga people indicated that they are ready to cut a deal less than the originally aimed goal of secession or total independence. This is perhaps lowering the aspiration to a certain degree but nevertheless, a pragmatic approach and in line with the international mood. But this is not to say that the global trend will stay forever in favor of status quo. The people concerned would eventually adjust their needs and value system, according to the prevailing international norm and structure of the time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Pragmatic Approach</strong><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Finally, if the Shan wants to be heard and advance their aspirations, they would need to seriously think globally and act locally. It would need to sell the idea that it is part and parcel of a viable force, in collaboration with all non-Burman ethnic nationalities and Burman opposition groups, to replace the illegitimate military junta. To do this, "broad coalition-building" among all the opposition is essential, even those within the rank of the enemies, who are ready to reform, embrace justice, equality and democracy should not be neglected.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The Shan cannot win this fight alone and it is crucial that the “multi-pronged” approach is employed, coupled with the motto of "diverse actions, common goal”, as urged time and again by the late Chao Tzang Ywanghwe.</span> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-7240529895224534542012-02-06T07:03:00.001-08:002012-02-06T07:03:39.480-08:007 February: The gateway to 12 February<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">You may call it Shan National Day, as it used to be known, since the first Shan National Day was officially designated in 1930 in Taunggyi and later in 1947 at Panglong.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Or, if you think the name, by its name, leaves out indigenous non-Shans in what used to be known as Federated Shan States, you can adopt the new designation: Shan State Day.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">As far as I’m concerned, any name will do, as long as the day’s historic significance is not forgotten, just as a rose’s signature fragrance is recognized. In each and everything, man should value its substance more than its label.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><img alt="" src="http://www.shanland.org/images/stories/newspictures/2012/feb/panglong-co-ag.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">So what happened on 7 February 1947 that had called for a decision to commemorate it each year? A short recap will be needed here:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Aung San had just concluded an agreement in London, which promised Independence for Burma within one year. But he needed to ask the non-Burman Frontier peoples whether they would like to join Burma in Independence or if they would rather go it alone.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Many people at that time thought that the Frontier peoples, having little trust in the Burmans, would rather choose to stay under the grudging rule of the post-war British Labor Party government.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">But, unknown to most people, Shan, Kachin and Chin representatives, who were jointly holding the Panglong Conference, had already reached agreement that the freedom of their respective people “would be achieved sooner through the cooperation with the Burmese.”</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The only problem appeared to be with the Shans, who were still hoping that their newly formed Shan States Saophas Council (later Shan States Council), made up of equal number of the 33 ruling princes and 33 people’s representatives, would be recognized by the British government. Had the British accepted the demand, it was well nigh certain Aung San, who arrived on 8 February, would have to return empty-handed.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">There wouldn’t have been a Panglong Agreement to sign and subsequently a Union Day to celebrate.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">But, luckily for the Burmese, and unluckily for the Shans, Chins, Kachins and the rest (as some would indeed say) the British turned down the Shans’ call.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The result was the mass meeting held in the evening of 7 February, when the 14 men (7 princes and 7 people’s representatives) Executive Committee of the Shan States Council was declared, which marked the parting of the ways with the British.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">This had paved the way for the successful negotiations with Aung San and the Panglong Agreement on 12 February.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Now, 65 years after, many Frontier peoples, especially the Shans, are wondering whether they had made a hasty decision in spurning the British suggestion to place the question of the reorganization of the Federal Council on the agenda of the Council meeting to be held in Taunggyi later in the month. (The Federal Council of Shan States was then presided by the British Commissioner.)</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Most probably, it was the wrong decision for the Shans. But, on the other hand, it was also most probably the right decision for the Burmans who had automatically succeeded the the British to govern the Frontier Areas.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Therefore, if I were, say, the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar now, I would not have hesitated to allow these Shans to celebrate every time 7 February returns with a vengeance. By all accounts, they should be mourning instead. But if they are still punch-drunk enough to choose to be hilarious about it, so be it.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">After all’s said and done, it’s all for the best. Or don’t you think so?</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-70659791854945019912012-02-06T06:51:00.000-08:002012-02-06T06:51:44.605-08:00“Tai/Shan National Day” or “Tai/Shan State Day”?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">One problem facing Shans each year when 7 February draws near is whether the day marking the unity between ruling princes and their people against British suzereignty should be called “Shan National Day” as it used to be or “Shan State Day” as renamed by the military junta that came into power in a bloody coup in 1962.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Those in favor of the former name say we should stick to the historical label</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Those against it say “Shan National” only means the day is only for Shans and not for non-Shans who together constitute 50% of the population, according to the pre-Independence census; as such “Shan State Day” is preferable to the historical name</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">So why did they agree to call it “Shan National Day” in the first place, when, out of the then 33 princely non-Shan princes and two of the leading non-Shan princes (Tawngpeng and Hsihseng) were highly educated and well-informed?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The answer lies in both the ambiguity of the term “Nation” and how rulers and people understand the word, then and now. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">When you look into the dictionary, two simple distinct meanings are found:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">All the people in a country</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">A tribe or race </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">At the time when the word “Shan National Day” was coined, it was quite obvious most of the ruling princes thought it applied to all the people in Shan State, then known as Federated Shan States. I remember when I was a kid, people, both Shan and non-Shan, joined together to observe the annually held event.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">However, as I grew older, the interpretation began to change. People started saying, “Shan National Day means it is only for Shans, and not us (PaO, Palaung, Wa, Lahu, etc). We should call it Shan State Day, so that all of us are included.” </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">All those complainants then and now, appear to be unaware that the decision to name the day as “Shan National Day” in 1947 was signed by none other than Hkun Pan Sing, President of the Shan States Council and Palaung prince to boot. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">By 1963, a year after the coup, it became clear unless it was called Shan State Day, one was certain to risk being called a rebel or a separatist. Among the resistance ranks, the situation was almost exactly the reverse. One could risk being accused as a junta follower by calling it Shan State Day.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">To placate both camps, some have begun to call it “Shan State National Day” which in effect pleases few people.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">One of my late uncles explained to me why the term National Day was opposed by the junta. “For many countries, a national day means the day you either declare independence or were granted independence,” he said. “The generals simply don’t want youths like you to get ideas about it.”</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">He may be right. I’m sure he was.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">However, unless a new Shan State Council takes the matter into its hand and reaches a new resolution, I’m afraid we will still be arguing among ourselves how we should properly call the day, every time 7 February is in the offing.</span> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-41475346141152582582012-02-04T09:21:00.001-08:002012-07-10T18:18:31.941-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-30882964293505872702012-02-04T08:55:00.000-08:002012-02-04T08:55:28.178-08:00Yawnghwe palace designated as Buddhist Museum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The Yawnghwe historical museum, previously the palace of Yawnghwe, has been designated as a Buddhist museum by the Burmese military, according to reliable sources.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The palace has been converted into a historical museum, housing some of the most precious artifacts of the Shan princedom since 1369.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br />
<div class="img_caption right" style="background-color: white; color: #999999; float: right; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center !important; width: 300px;"><img align="right" border="0" class="caption" src="http://www.shanland.org/images/stories/newspictures/yawnghwe%20palace.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Yawnghwe palace" /><div class="img_caption" style="clear: right; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Yawnghwe palace</div></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In May 2008, all displayed antiques such as Saofah’s regalia (royal garments worn by Shan princes), lacquer wares, ancient armaments, and two imperial thrones were already moved and replaced with the Buddha images, said a local resident.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">“I don’t know where the things were moved. I just saw only the Buddha images are being displayed now,” he said. The age and origin of these Buddha images is also unknown, but it is unlikely that they have the same historical and cultural importance as the previous artifacts of the Yawnghwe historical museum.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">However, some locals are saying that the Shan artifacts were reportedly moved to Nay Pyi Taw, the new capital of the Burma.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The report will be updated as soon as more information arrives.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Yawnghwe is one of the oldest principalities of the Shan State. Its last ruling prince was Sao Shwe Thaike, who became the first president of the independent Union of Burma. His consort was Sao Nang Hearng Hkam, the founder of the Shan State Army (SSA).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">A similar story has taken palce in northern Shan State with the palace of Sao Kya Seng, Prince of Hsipaw and his consort Sao Nang Inge who wrote Twilight of Burma. This historical building has been closed, according to sources.</span> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-19302629037146441352011-12-14T17:09:00.000-08:002011-12-14T17:09:13.583-08:00Shan/ Tai Yai New Year 2106 with the links<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hello all!</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Maisoong Pi Mai Tai to all kha!</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Really would like to share you all with a short clip of the 2106th Tai New Year Celebrations at Murng Khorn (Dehong), Yunnan Province, China. </span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=I2wfHfNpSn8#" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>feature=player_embedded&v=<wbr></wbr>I2wfHfNpSn8#</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">!</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">And also our celebrations news is on BBC Burmese web page too!</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/ethnic/2011/11/111129_shan_newyear.shtml" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/<wbr></wbr>ethnic/2011/11/111129_shan_<wbr></wbr>newyear.shtml</a><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-66107228737844507222011-11-29T17:31:00.001-08:002011-11-29T17:31:09.395-08:00Tai/Shan New year 2106<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Happy Pi Mai Tai 2106th!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">May the Pi Mai New Year bring us more confidence, peace and progress in our work as it did for Sao Sor Khan Fa (Sky Flying Tiger) (1311-2011) who ascended the throne seven hundred years ago to build the greatest ever empire known in Tai history. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">May our people enjoy good health, peace and prosperity!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">2106<sup>th</sup> <b>Pi Mai Tai New Year Message<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">(26 Nov. 2011) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">It is a true privilege to greet you all <b>Happy Pi Mai Tai</b> on behalf of members of the Shan Cultural Association (SCA-UK) and Tai community in the United Kingdom<i>.</i> The 2106<sup>th</sup> <i>Pi Mai</i> coincides with the 700<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the ascending to the throne, aged only 20, of the great Tai King, Sor Khan Fa, (Sky Ruling Tiger) (1311-1364) who ruled the biggest ever Tai nation in history, in the parts of what are now China, India and Union of Myanmar. He made every Tai proud and great. We remember and salute his sacrifice and achievements on this special day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">To welcome <i>Pi Mai</i> this year, we hold an academic seminar, a Buddhist blessing ceremony and a cultural event on Sunday, 27<sup>th</sup> November 2010, at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. The seminar focuses on the ongoing cataloging work of some Tai <i>lik-loung</i>, great texts, in Britain. The speakers include researchers and librarians from Oxford, Cambridge and London universities. Our cultural event will include song performance in Tai, Laos and other languages. Like last year, the Laotian community in the UK will join the performance with a famous song, <i>Tai Dam Rumpan</i>. The evening will also feature Kinnari and other Tai dances by members of SCA-UK members.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">On this auspicious day, we Tai people think of each other and our Tai families spread throughout the world; we send our warmest greeting of peace, goodwill, hope and love to all of them: we say <b>Mai-soong Pi Mai Tai </b>to each and every one Tai in the world: from Shan State and Kachin State, to Sagaing, Bago and Yangon Regions and other parts of the Union of Myanmar, from Mae Hong Son and other parts of Thailand to Pailin in Cambodia, from </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Sinpsongpanna (Xishuangbanna) Dai Autonomous Prefecture and Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"> to the Dai </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Zhuang (Bouxcuengh/</span><span lang="TH" style="font-family: 'Angsana New', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">ผู้จ้วง</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">) </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">from </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">to the districts of </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Dien Bien Phu, Hoa Binh, Lai Chau, Son La in Vietnam, from Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India to those scattered in Europe, Australia and America. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy <i>Pi Mai Tai</i> 2106<sup>th</sup> to all!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">This year in UK, the SCA_UK members have been part of the project to catalogue Tai <i>lik-loung</i> in two top universities: Oxford and Cambridge, generously funded by the Dhammachai Foundation of the Wat Dhammakaya in Thailand and headed by Dr. Gillian Evison, head of Oriental Section, Bodleian Library, Oxford University and Dr. Kate Crosby, director of SOAS Centre for Buddhist Studies. Our members have also been part of the Shan academic panel at the Association of South-east Asian Studies (</span><span class="il"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">ASEASUK)</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Conference 2011</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"> at Magdalene College, Cambridge University in September. The SCA_UK boys and girls entertained the academics with traditional Tai dances on the beautiful quad of Magdalene College, with Shan long drum vibrating throughout the famous university town. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Again, may the 2106<sup>th</sup> Pi Mai Tai bring peace, prosperity, good health and happiness to all!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Venerable Dr. Khammai Dhammasami, DPhil (Oxford)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">Chairman, SCA_UK & Fellow, Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;">University of Oxford, UK<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt;"></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt;">King Sor Khan Fa (1291-1364)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-49515377982730989522011-11-29T17:14:00.001-08:002012-07-10T18:18:31.945-07:00Tai/Shan New year 2106<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Happy Pi Mai Tai 2106th!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">May the Pi Mai New Year bring us more confidence, peace and progress in our work as it did for Sao Sor Khan Fa (Sky Flying Tiger) (1311-2011) who ascended the throne seven hundred years ago to build the greatest ever empire known in Tai history. </div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">May our people enjoy good health, peace and prosperity!</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">2106<sup>th</sup> <b>Pi Mai Tai New Year Message<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(26 Nov. 2011) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It is a true privilege to greet you all <b>Happy Pi Mai Tai</b> on behalf of members of the Shan Cultural Association (SCA-UK) and Tai community in the United Kingdom<i>.</i> The 2106<sup>th</sup> <i>Pi Mai</i> coincides with the 700<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the ascending to the throne, aged only 20, of the great Tai King, Sor Khan Fa, (Sky Ruling Tiger) (1311-1364) who ruled the biggest ever Tai nation in history, in the parts of what are now China, India and Union of Myanmar. He made every Tai proud and great. We remember and salute his sacrifice and achievements on this special day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To welcome <i>Pi Mai</i> this year, we hold an academic seminar, a Buddhist blessing ceremony and a cultural event on Sunday, 27<sup>th</sup> November 2010, at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. The seminar focuses on the ongoing cataloging work of some Tai <i>lik-loung</i>, great texts, in Britain. The speakers include researchers and librarians from Oxford, Cambridge and London universities. Our cultural event will include song performance in Tai, Laos and other languages. Like last year, the Laotian community in the UK will join the performance with a famous song, <i>Tai Dam Rumpan</i>. The evening will also feature Kinnari and other Tai dances by members of SCA-UK members.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On this auspicious day, we Tai people think of each other and our Tai families spread throughout the world; we send our warmest greeting of peace, goodwill, hope and love to all of them: we say <b>Mai-soong Pi Mai Tai </b>to each and every one Tai in the world: from Shan State and Kachin State, to Sagaing, Bago and Yangon Regions and other parts of the Union of Myanmar, from Mae Hong Son and other parts of Thailand to Pailin in Cambodia, from </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sinpsongpanna (Xishuangbanna) Dai Autonomous Prefecture and Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> to the Dai </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Zhuang (Bouxcuengh/</span><span lang="TH" style="font-family: "Angsana New","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ผู้จ้วง</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">) </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">from </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southern China </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">to the districts of </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Dien Bien Phu, Hoa Binh, Lai Chau, Son La in Vietnam, from Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India to those scattered in Europe, Australia and America. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Happy <i>Pi Mai Tai</i> 2106<sup>th</sup> to all!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This year in UK, the SCA_UK members have been part of the project to catalogue Tai <i>lik-loung</i> in two top universities: Oxford and Cambridge, generously funded by the Dhammachai Foundation of the Wat Dhammakaya in Thailand and headed by Dr. Gillian Evison, head of Oriental Section, Bodleian Library, Oxford University and Dr. Kate Crosby, director of SOAS Centre for Buddhist Studies. Our members have also been part of the Shan academic panel at the Association of South-east Asian Studies (</span><span class="il"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ASEASUK)</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Conference 2011</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> at Magdalene College, Cambridge University in September. The SCA_UK boys and girls entertained the academics with traditional Tai dances on the beautiful quad of Magdalene College, with Shan long drum vibrating throughout the famous university town. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Again, may the 2106<sup>th</sup> Pi Mai Tai bring peace, prosperity, good health and happiness to all!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Venerable Dr. Khammai Dhammasami, DPhil (Oxford)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Chairman, SCA_UK & Fellow, Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">University of Oxford, UK<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
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</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122704752089210473.post-86162222587577028982011-08-02T11:41:00.000-07:002011-08-03T01:05:36.375-07:00Shan Culture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRxe5epMjBsSE_IXtmb9vU3aNykigsM4t-w5gPOqTXASfrgX6WVlXxdZIxVZVBJatHe78l8Xsn5ojvg8i4I8ToAvRIE2Qj93eEYF3Y-jFFw4YT0N7Hs2fzYlPLuHEuphh7K4UzKAyresa/s1600/30929_121347584550417_100000255297805_233650_2351750_n.jpg"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636346841794991186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRxe5epMjBsSE_IXtmb9vU3aNykigsM4t-w5gPOqTXASfrgX6WVlXxdZIxVZVBJatHe78l8Xsn5ojvg8i4I8ToAvRIE2Qj93eEYF3Y-jFFw4YT0N7Hs2fzYlPLuHEuphh7K4UzKAyresa/s320/30929_121347584550417_100000255297805_233650_2351750_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 284px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 432px;" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shan</span></strong><br />
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</span></div></div><div><div closure_uid_2yee4s="99"><span closure_uid_2yee4s="98" style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome to Shan Culture We are willing to know some of our Shan Culture to everyone around the world who are interesting our culture. Culture is the most important for every ethnicity because Culture remind our own people where we are coming from and everyone should maintain and promote our own Culture not mix with other culture and remain as history just at past.</span></div><div closure_uid_2yee4s="100"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We make proud of our own Culture as music, dancing, clothes, livestyles etc... to high standard to show who we are to the world.</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">SHAN ( The Golden People)</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shan is one of ethinicity in Burma (Myanmar). Shan they call themself Tai ethnic group that the brand of Siamese Indochinese people to which Thais and the Laotians also belong to. The term Shan may come from Siam, the root of Syam and Assam. Referring to their skin colour , neighbours called Tai people as Siam derived from Sanskrist (pali) word Syama which mean (gorld) or (dark) colour. It was written as Syam or Rham and pronounced as Shan in Burmese. When British came to rule Burma in 19th century, they call Tai people as Shan base on Burmese pronunciation and Tai people in Burma.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Origin of Shan</span></strong><br />
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<div closure_uid_8kyot3="106"><span closure_uid_8kyot3="137" style="font-family: inherit;">It was sguuested that Tai were the first of migrate from their original seat in Central Asia towards the south and to settle along rivers Mekong (Myanmar/Thai) Menam, Irrawaddy( Myanmar ) and Brahmaputra (Assam). By A.D.18 (early Christian era), Tai already had their first seat in on the Shwele river (at China_Myanmar border) and then the Tai (Shan) dominion gradually extended in the country of Irradwaddy (now know as Union of Myanmar). Today most of the Shan inhabit the Shan State in North-East of Myanmar. The current Shan State is the biggest of the 14 states and divisions of the Union of Myanmar covering 60,000 square miles, 23% of the entire country ( The size of England and Wales combined). The State has 9millions Shan inhabitants 16% of the entire population of the country) along with other migrants from other parts of Myanmar and neighbouring countries like India and mainly China. There are also some groups of Shan inhabitants scattered throughout other parts of Myanmar and neighbouring counties, such as Tai Khamti (Khamti Shan) in the Sagaing division and Kachin State of Myanmar, Tai Ahom, Dai and Thai Yai in Northeast of India, Yunnan provice of Southern China and in Northern Thailand. </span></div><br />
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</span> </div></div><h2><span closure_uid_8kyot3="103" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Different Shan in different geographical regions</span></h2><span closure_uid_8kyot3="105" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although Shan refers to themselves as Tai, they were known by a few different names, such as, "Thai Yai" in Thailand, "Dai" in China, Tai Ahom in the Northeast of India and “Shan” in the Union of Myanmar (formerly Burma) and to the western world. </span><br />
<div closure_uid_8kyot3="135"><span closure_uid_8kyot3="132" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition, Tai-Shan live in Shan state of Myanmar or in Yunnan province of Southern China are classified into a few different type of Tai-Shan, such as, Tai Lai, Tai Nüa, Tai Long, Tai Sã, Tai Leng, Tai Sipsongpanna, Tai Kham Ti, Tai Lü, Tai Mao, Tai Khün, Tai Loi, Tai Long, etc. Although they share the common language with slightly different accent, their traditional costumes could be very different (especially for women) in different type of Tai-Shan.</span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Shan Culture and identity</span></strong><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpLtGlSOkmfhDKW0ZaoFtCvH5SPs5eg60AK0Vi6IxcJtxkW32COJYBbRvyG_y7d-GEgBx4o8Mf2r-MBCW_eGhyphenhyphendP00LaKtdxZguIbh7aMQ_ewbTgMXDQHvhUb3yxtm45QEU7wFjt99G3n/s1600/271120101172.jpg"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636347293613626754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZpLtGlSOkmfhDKW0ZaoFtCvH5SPs5eg60AK0Vi6IxcJtxkW32COJYBbRvyG_y7d-GEgBx4o8Mf2r-MBCW_eGhyphenhyphendP00LaKtdxZguIbh7aMQ_ewbTgMXDQHvhUb3yxtm45QEU7wFjt99G3n/s320/271120101172.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 199px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 220px;" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Shand maintain their distinct identity from other fellow ethnic groups of the Union of Myanmar in terms of language, culture and tradition. Like Thai food being famous in worldwide, Shan food is the most popular flavour in Burma. Typical Tai Temples are mainly found in Yunnan provence of Southern China and its architecture is very much similar to those of temples in Thailand. Shan traditional long drum, sheep dance, sward dance, maertial arts dance and Kinnara and Kinnari (female and male mythical birds whose face look like human or said to be half human-half bird creature) dances are very unique cultural materials of every Shan celebration events. Shan have its own flag which was one of the outcomes of Panglong Agreement in February 1947, which served as the most important stepping stones to independent Union of Myanmar today. On Shan flag, Yellow represents the religion of the people of shan states (Buddhism), Green refresent the good agriculture the people of Shan land dwell on, Red represents Bravery of Shan State people and White represent peace and stability for the furture Shan State.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nationality of Shan States</span></strong><br />
<div closure_uid_c4shli="577" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PfklUAuZDhQOT4K9GQUbb5_tkU7AALr5lqUO3YVDAxkUzCP3cCKiwk44yE35kvce81lbzF7nEwHAomahrpkGkzVluBRTgQKynut11gsJKHGXn6h9CbBVwEh71i0Pxg6HhdLPWkR5ag3O/s1600/271120101199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636348228605051778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PfklUAuZDhQOT4K9GQUbb5_tkU7AALr5lqUO3YVDAxkUzCP3cCKiwk44yE35kvce81lbzF7nEwHAomahrpkGkzVluBRTgQKynut11gsJKHGXn6h9CbBVwEh71i0Pxg6HhdLPWkR5ag3O/s320/271120101199.jpg" style="display: block; height: 265px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 197px;" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Apart from the Shan, there are also some other sister ethnic(nationalities) live in the Shan State of Myanmar, other nationalities of the country like Paloung, Pa-O, Wah, DaNu or Innthar etc... They speak different languages from Shan people and dress differently.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12373502874511604937noreply@blogger.com4Westminster, London, UK51.5001524 -0.1262361999999939151.322796399999994 -0.39052969999999393 51.6775084 0.1380573000000061