Asian Tribune: Date : 2004-02-10

The Shan Democratic Union welcomes The Words of Burmese FM U Win Aung

"The Shan Democratic Union (SDU), like all the people of Burma, holds that any peaceful and negotiated settlement of the country’s decades old problems and decay must be inclusive, transparent, and absent any form of coercion."

In a statement issued by, The Shan Democratic Union, it has emphasized that any peaceful and negotiated settlement must be inclusive, transparent and absence of any compulsion or force.

This was stated while welcoming the views expressed by the Burmese foreign Minister U Win Aung who said at Phuket, Thailand, on the other day that the military regime of Burma could no longer justify its existence after four decades of power after entering the ceasefire agreement with the main rebel group the Karen National Union.

Burmese Foreign Minister further said that, the present Burmese regime could no longer justify its existence after four decades in power, and that if all the problems are solved there is no need for a military government. The full text of the statement released by Shan Democratic Union is given below:

In a news item of the AFP on February 8, 2004, reported that the Foreign Minister of Burma, U Win Aung, said that with a ceasefire with the main rebel group, the Karen National Union, the regime could no longer justify its existence after four decades in power, and that if all the problems are solved there is no need for a military government. He added that he and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were born in the same year and said, “that the future of our country is waiting for us to set the course."

The SDU welcomes the reasonable and wise words of the Burmese Foreign Minister. If the words truly reflect the policy of the Government of Burma, the attempt by Prime Minister Khin Nyunt to resolve the long-standing conflict in Burma peacefully, around the table, will – if successful – be a great historical landmark.

The SDU, like all the people of Burma, holds that any peaceful and negotiated settlement of the country’s decades old problems and decay must be inclusive, transparent, and absent any form of coercion.

As well, the SDU holds that the position of the ethnic Nationalities on the National Convention initiative is correct and stands by it. While not rejecting the Roadmap out of hand, the statement of the ethnic Nationalities stated that Prime Minister Khin Nyunt’s Roadmap is not headed toward democratization but to the perpetuation of military control and thereby the legitimization of military repression.

We hold Foreign Minister – and by extension, the Government – to the noble and wise words spoken by U Win Aung.

We appeal to the governments of the world and the UN, and particular the leaders of ASEAN, China, India, and Bangladesh, to keep the praiseworthy pronouncement of the Burmese Foreign Minister on their respective radar screen.

The SDU – like all peoples of the country – calls upon the Burmese government to hold pre-National Conventions talks with political leaders, political parties, and to participate with its dialogue partners in wide and open consultation with the people, according to the standard procedures as proposed by the ethnic Nationalities leaders at the 3rd Ethnic Nationalities Seminar of January 2004.

- Asian Tribune -