Organizations from Shan State Stat

[shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Organizations from Shan State  State their Conditions for Peace: 

29 July 1999 

It was reported by SHAN source on Sunday that organizations from Shan State
met
to lay out their conditions for reconciliation and peace in Burma. 

The representative at the ad hoc meeting were Mahasang Vieng-ngern (Wa
National
Organization), Benjamin Min (Lahu Democratic Front), Mai Ai Phong (Palaung
State Liberation Front), Khun Saw Lu (Pa-o People's Liberation Organization),
Sao Ood Kesi (Shan States Army), Sao Sengsuk (Shan Democratic Union) and
Khamzam Payakwong (Shan Democratic Union). 

The following motion was proposed by Benjamin Min and adopted by the meeting: 

"(T)he achievement of reconciliation and peace in Burma depend at the very
least, on the following conditions:  
1. The emergence of the Tripartite Dialogue; 

2. The formation of Burma Proper as a constituent state; 

3. Non-interference by other States in the internal affairs of the state
concerned; 

4. The endorsement of a genuine federation of states as equal partners; 

5. The full guarantee by all those concerned for the security of all persons
who shall travel back and forth, within and without, in order to assist in the
preparations of the Tripartite Dialogue. 
Asked by SHAN whether he was for "democracy first or federation first" stand,
the Lahu leader, who was the principal speaker at the meeting, said: 
"All of us are for democracy, but the agreement for federation must come first
if a genuine and lasting peace is to achieve".