36th Anniversary of Military Takeov

[shan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

MESSAGE  -  36TH ANNIVERSARY  OF  MILITARY  TAKEOVER

S.H.A.N., 2 March 98

	Today, 2 March, not only marks the beginning of military rule in "Burma"
but also the end of the Union of Burma. Before 1962, the various ethnic
territories of the former British Indochina were joined together by the
treaty at Panglong and the Union Constitution of 1947. But henceforth
Panglong was to be honored only by name but not in spirit or practice while
the Union Constitution no longer continued to be operative by the decree
from the Burma Army that took power on this day. The whole former British
Indochina in effect is now a Burmese Indochina, a string of colonies
governed from Rangoon.

	Therefore, the present efforts made by any one or organization to
resurrect the Union without paying honor to the said treaties that they
richly deserve would be tantamount to marriage without consent, to state in
restrained terms.

	The Shan Democratic Union and the Shan State Army had, on 4 January,
proposed that those who had won the Elections in 1990, including the NLD
and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), be allowed to
convene the long due Parliament in return for Amnesty for all those
concerned. This call has been favorably responded by the Opposition in
general and we hope the military government in Rangoon also sees it as a
proper beginning for reconciliation and peace, which shall benefit not only
the people they are supposed to serve but also themselves and their families.

	All in all, we may be expecting too much. But if everyone concerned just
stop, breathe steady and ponder, our suggestion might no longer be so far
fetched as they seem to be.

									S.H.A.N.

Note:	Late through misplacing.