In order to rebuild the Union of Burma, any ‘Transitional Authority’ will face tremendous challenges. It cannot convene a new ‘Panglong Conference’ or ‘Constitutional Convention’, without also dealing with the huge problems facing the nation – both economic and social.
The ‘Transitional Authority’ will need to alleviate the suffering of those most deprived if it wants to convince the people of Burma that they will benefit if they participate in efforts to rebuild the nation. The ethnic nationalities homelands have been devastated by five decades of war. Fertile lands lie fallow, hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes. They have been deprived of security, their livelihood, education and medical care, and many are refugees or living sub-standard lives as migrant labourers in foreign lands.
The ENSCC, therefore, calls upon the international community to, within the framework of the current ‘Secret Talks’ between the SPDC and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, explore ways and means to begin delivering humanitarian aid directly and without political interference to those in most urgent need, especially in the non-Burman ethnic states.