(ENSCC)
1. Background History,
Mandate and
The "Ethnic
Nationalities Solidarity and Cooperation Committee" (ENSCC) was formed at
the Ethnic Nationalities Seminar held in Kawthulee on
1.
Political parties under the
leadership of United Nationalities League for Democracy (UNLD)
2. Armed groups which are members of
National Democratic Front (NDF),
3.
Armed groups but not members of
NDF, such as Karenni National Progressive Party
(KNPP) and Shan State Army (SSA-South).
4. Ceasefire groups.
The ENSCC,
therefore, has been entrusted with task of fostering unity and cooperation
between all Ethnic nationalities forces and promotes peaceful political
settlement in
(i) Undertake
pro-active and constructive actions to bring about peaceful
resolution to the
political conflict in
involving the SPDC,
the NLD led by Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi, and the Ethnic
Nationalities dialogue partners;
(ii) Consult widely, cooperate, and work
closely with all stakeholders in
(iii) Strive to facilitate an orderly and
peaceful democratic transition in
¨ Promote the
Profile of the Ethnic Nationalities on the international stage.
¨
ENSCC,
coordinate and work for Tripartite Dialogue.
¨ Reviving the Panglong Spirit, and
nation-building.
¨
Build
or facilitate Unity and Cohesion among all Ethnic Nationalities forces, inside
and outside, including promoting and supporting political actions inside.
2.
Dialogue Strategy
One of the main objectives of forming the
ENSCC, as mentioned above, is to take pro-active and constructive actions to
bring about peaceful resolution to the political conflict in
The ENSCC position is that any transitional authority arrangement before prior to tripartite dialogue will not be useful and could create serious problems for a smooth and orderly transition. The ENSCC, therefore, wants a tripartite dialogue before the formation of the interim government. The ENSCC believes that this arrangement will ensure the smooth transition by forming widely accepted interim authority. In other words the tripartite element of the dialogue constitutes a strategic component of the ENSCC's strategy objective.
To ensure that
there is tripartite dialogue and meaningful participation of the Ethnic
Nationalities in the transition process, the ENSCC will work toward – push for
– the convening of an Ethnic Nationalities Conference as broached very earlier
on by Razali and the UN team. The ENSCC believes that
the time is now ripe and conditions are now favorable
for such a conference. In other words, a country-wide Ethnic Nationalities
Conference (preferably outside
1.
The ENSCC shall conduct Ethnic Nationalities
Conference as soon as possible.
2.
The ENSCC should do the coordination for ethnic
nationalities/organizations both inside and outside. (Detail work plan is not
mentioned here).
3.
The criteria for selection of representatives
to the Ethnic Nationalities shall be both state-based and ethnic-based
representation.
4.
The preparation for the Ethnic Nationalities
Conference would be composed of three parts:
ONE: Letters
to Taksin, Razali,
broaching this idea.
TWO: International
lobby trips – e.g., a lobby tour of
THREE: Coordination
works (preparation) between Inside and Outside Ethnic Nationalities forces.
1. Religious groups
2. Thai/China borders groups
3. NMSP/ MNLD
4. KIO (Zaw S)
5. International Conference
2.3. International Lobby Trips
(i)
The UN
and
(ii)
The EU
Lobby trip: ASEM conference in
2.4.Panglong
Initiative: More Concrete Plan (on Humanitarian Aid, Cease Fire, and Political
Dialogue)
(i) The
most important decision is an agreement on going ahead with the H-Aid
initiative (as a strategic link of the PangLong
Initiative]. HY is charged with the task
of preparing a concrete H-Aid Initiative DRAFT Plan.
(ii) To be included in the plan are the 10 points on H-Aid agreed
upon at the SCC Meeting in February 2002 (See appendix). Other components agreed upon are Cross-Border
aid (to reach the most vulnerable population and most in need), Official
Consultation (as opposed to mere “consultation” or informal consultation), and
multilateral (joint) implementation and mechanism. An issue which could be worked into the DRAFT
plan is “nation-wide” cease-fire, if needed or suitable.
(iii)
The H-Aid
Initiative DRAFT Plan is to be submitted to the ENSCC for further consultation
and decision. If the ENSCC agrees to adopt the H-Aid plan (after making
necessary changes as needed), the ENSCC will consult with the mother
organizations and push for support.
(iv) The ENSCC agreed that there should be an
“independent” Ethnic Nationalities stand on H-Aid and initiative because their
population is the worst affected and most vulnerable. Also, the ENSCC is of the opinion that unless
clear conditions are established, or are tabled and debated, the “free” or
unconditional flow of H-Aid will mostly, if not only, benefit the regime directly
and indirectly.
3.1.
Tactics & Strategy : Federalism vs.
3.1.1. Regarding policy goals and tactical positions, the ENSCC recognized
that the Karenni (KNPP) position regarding
independence vs. federalism is or should be the model, and the SSA/S tactical
position is the most suitable. The SSA/S
tactical position is that it accepts Tripartite Dialogue, and that it
recognizes that the people will decide what is best for the people of
3.1. 2. It was
clarified and agreed that federalism is an issue that is separate from “Joining
with Burma Proper”, and that there is another option – i.e., establishing a
federal union without Burma Proper (……if Burman
leaders do not want to be part of a federal union).
NOTE: The above option, a Federal Union among
territorial states that are committed to federalism (i.e., the Panglong spirit and principle), is a strategically
relevant, strategically useful, option –
vis-à-vis both the Burman and international actors --
which has not been much thought about and/or developed by the Ethnic
Nationalities. The unfortunate fact is
that federalism has been confused with “joining with Burma Proper”. As a result,
the thinking of the Ethnic Nationalities on federalism have been dominated by
an issue that has nothing much to do with federalism – i.e., the “joining with
Burma Proper” issue.
3.2. The Mode of
Representation: States- or Ethnic-based?
3.2.1
On the matter of
representation mode, the ENSCC prefers a flexible mode where both the
state-based and ethnic-based representation mode is recognized.
[NOTE: it was earlier
suggested the ENSCC should adopt a “States representation” mode at the EU-ASEM
lobbying and other tours.]
3.2.2. It was
clarified that the Karen were very earlier on oriented to the notion of ethnic
equality and ethnic rights – from the colonial period – because they were part
of Burma Proper, did not have a separate state.
Whereas the Shan and Karenni are
state-oriented because they “possessed” their own states since pre-colonial
times, and as well in the colonial period.
3.2.3. Because
of the above historical-political context, there has been much confusion over
who represents what. For example, the NDF's goal is
federalism, a federation of equal and self-determining states, but it political
language is about ethnic equality, ethnic self-determination, not about states.
NOTE: The
ethnic equality, ethnic representation, ethnic self-determination orientation
can be very confusing for international and academic actors as well because it
implies that politics in
4. Statement on the Release of Daw Aung Suu
Kyi:
(Date:
9 May 2002)
The
Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity and Cooperation Committee (ENSCC) commends the
unconditional release by the SPDC of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
from a 19-months unlawful house arrest, and with respect to the meeting of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi with Khun Htun Oo and other ethnic
nationalities leaders, the ENSCC welcomes Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's
statesman-like and correct stand on the right of the ethnic nationalities:
their right to self-determination and the right to resolve their own problems
within the national reconciliation framework.
The
ENSCC, formed to achieve national reconciliation in Burma through tripartite
dialogue, is encouraged by the recent development in Burma owed to the efforts
and good office of Special Envoy H.E. Razali Ismail, and will continue to work closely with all parties
in Burma, with the U.N., and with international supporters of peace and
national reconciliation.
The
ENSCC calls upon the SPDC to respond constructively to the high expectations
raised by its release of Daw Aung
Suu Kyi and urge the SPDC
to recognize the rights of the ethnic nationalities to fully and meaningfully
participate in the national reconciliation process. In this respect, there is a need for ethnic national
leaders and organizations to meet to resolve
5. The ENSCC Committee
Members:
1.
Saw Ba Thin, Chairman,
Karen National
2.
Dr. Chao Tzang Yawnghwe National Reconciliation Program
3.
Hteh Bupeh Chairman, KNPP
4.
Sao Seng Suk Shan
Democratic
5.
Teddy Buri President,
Members of Parliament
6.
Khun Okka Joint
Secretary General of NDF
7.
Dr. Lian H. Sakhong Secretary
of UNLD-LA
● Mr. Harn Yawnghwe Official
Advisor
● Saw David
Taw Personal
Assistant to Saw Ba Thin
Appendix:
SCC
Position on Humanitarian Aid: Decision made at the SCC meeting held in January
2001.
1.
The Strategy Consultation:
1.
Be delivered directly to people.
2.
Be delivered to the most needy
areas.
3.
Be delivered through credible international NGOs.
4.
Not be delivered through the SPDC or organizations
under its control.
5.
Be delivered only after prior consultation with Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi and the NLD.
6.
Be delivered to border areas where the need is
greatest. In order to do this, SPDC should declare a nation-wide cease-fire.
7.
Be delivered only after prior consultation with
independent local leaders and community organizations.
8.
Be monitored by an independent impartial body.
9.
Be delivered by NGOs that abide by an international
Code of Conduct, which will be agreed to by all parties.
10. The Strategy
Consultation further agrees to encourage the delivery of humanitarian
assistance across national borders.
2.
The Strategy Consultation supports the formation of
the ENSCC to prepare the ethnic nationalities for a tripartite dialogue and its
efforts to bring about a tripartite dialogue.
3.
The Strategy Consultation further supports the ENSCC’s ‘New Panglong
Initiative’, which is aimed at national reconciliation. The organizations
participating in the Strategy Consultation undertake to work together to
promote the concepts and principles of the ‘Initiative’ and for their
acceptance national-wide.