ENSCC Embargoed-till Friday 5 September 2003 ROAD MAP FOR REBUILDING THE Pyi-Daung-Su Myanmar Naing-Ngan-Daw UNION OF BURMA We welcome and appreciate the concern of the international community over the crisis in our country. We specifically appreciate the leading role played by the United Nations, and the efforts of the Government of Thailand to bring about national reconciliation. We also appreciate the concern expressed by the international community, in particular ASEM, ASEAN, Canada, China, Japan, the European Union, Norway and the USA. We note the ruling State peace and Development Council’s declared commitment to establish democracy in the Union through the launching of a road map by Prime Minister Khin Nyunt. To promote national reconciliation and establish a democracy in the Union, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi must be released immediately. The Burmese military has always claimed that there are 135 national races the Union, and that it must remain in power to prevent a brake up of the country. We dispute this. The founding fathers of the Union were Chin, Kachin, and Shan leaders and Aun San. We created the Union of Burma through the 1947 Panglong Agreement. The ethnic nationalities took up arms only because all attempts to solve problems by political means were blocked. We were forced to defend ourselves against military aggression. But in spirit of Panglong, we are committed to national reconciliation and to the rebuilding of the Union as equal partners in the process. We believe that in order to establish a stable, peaceful and prosperous nation, the process of rebuilding the Union must be based on a democratic process which includes the following basic principles: 1. A peaceful resolution of crisis in the Union 2. The resolution of political problems through political dialogue 3. Respect for the will of the people, 4. The recognition and protection of the rights of all citizens of the Union, 5. The recognition and protection of the identity,language, religion,
and culture rights all of 6. The recognition and protection of the rights of the constituent
states of the Union through Therefore, in the interest of the nation, we recommend a two-stage process to generate confidence in the transition to democracy: Stage 1 2 years CONGRESS FOR NATIONAL UNITY The current administration will immediately convene a Congress for National Unity. To conform with the six principles outlined above, and to fulfill the demand for a tripartite dialogue, as called for by successive United Nation General Assembly resolutions since 1994, the participants must include in equal proportions: - representatives of the 1990 election winning parties, - representatives of the SPDC, and - representatives of ethnic nationalities. NATIONAL ACCORD The Congress for National Unity will draft in two years, a National Accord under which a Government of National Unity will be formed. The procedural codes of the SPDC’s National Convention and the one hundred and four articles for the constitution proposed by the Burmese military in the past, do not reflect democratic principles and cannot by their implementation lead to a democracy. Therefore, the National Accord will recognize the results of the 1990 general elections, a political role for the military and the rights of the ethnic nationalities. INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION Decisions of the congress for National Unity will be made by consensus. International mediation will be sought to break any deadlocks. To ensure that the transition progresses smoothly and on schedule, we request that the international community under the leadership of the UN, Thailand, and ASEAN continue to assist in the transition process. INDEPENDENT CONSTITUTION DRAFTING COMMISSIONS The congress for National Unity will constitute independent National Constitution Drafting and State Constitution Drafting Commission. The composition of the Constitution Drafting Commissions will be as board-based as possible but reflect the tripartite nature of the Congress for National Unity. HUMANITARIAN AID With the successful convening of the Congress for National Unity, the international community is called upon to increase humanitarian aid to the people of the Union. Programs to alleviate the suffering of the people and address the problems of HIV-AIDS, internal displacement, refugee repatriation and resettlement, border area development and drug eradication should also be launched in consultation with affected local communities. Stage 2 4 years GOVERNMENT OF NATIONAL UNITY At the end of the two-year period, a Government of National Unity, will be established as per the Nation Accord. LIFTING OF SANCTIONS With the successful establishment of the Government of National Unity, economic sanctions including import bans and the ban on new investments, could be lifted. FUNDING FOR DEVELOPMENT At this point, the international community is called upon to provide development aid to fund economic reform, civil service reform, public health and educational programs, security integration and other programs that will facilitate a transition to democracy. REFERENDUM A referendum monitored by the international community will be conducted to ensure that the will of the people is reflected in the new National Constitution. GENERAL ELECTIONS Following a successful referendum on the new National Constitution, general elections monitored by the international community will be held to establish a democratic federal government at the end of four yeas. 02 September 2003 ENSCC Chairman: Saw Ba Thin,KNU National Democratic Front
Harn Yawnghwe,Director, Euro-Burma Office Advisor to the ENSCC |
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