Local residents have not received official information about the plan to hold the 71st Union Day ceremony at the Panglong Monument with over 70,000 youths from the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the southern Shan State’s Panglong, where the foundation of the union was established.
According to the Irrawaddy, the Central Commission for the Youth Congress’s chair U Maung Maung Oo was reported as saying that over 70,000 NLD youths will be organizing the 71st Union Day ceremony in Panglong. He said this remarks during the second meeting with the central working committee of the Central Commission for the Second Youth Congress and the state and regional commission held in Naypyidaw on January 31.
“Although there are rumors of the NLD youths’ plan to lead the Union Day [ceremony], we still haven’t seen them making any preparations and the local community elders haven’t been informed about it. I think they should clearly give information in public on whether the Union Day ceremony will be organized by the party or by the government,” Sai Su, a youth leader from Panglong, told Shan Herald.
The Tatmadaw obstructed when local youth committee members met with Panglong residents to discuss the holding of Shan national-level dialogue last December.
“It’s strange for the NLD youths to lead [the ceremony]. When we [held the public consultation] for the Shan ND (national dialogue), we were obstructed because the government couldn’t go against the Tatmadaw. Anyone can come and hold the Union Day ceremony because it’s concerned with all the people of the Union, but it’s not good to use the party’s name and hold it by the party. The government should lead and launch it under its name. The previous government didn’t use the USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party)’s name. It only used the Shan State government’s name,” Sai Su continued.
Sai Wan Leng Kham, an Amyotha Hluttaw MP from Lashio District and a former leader of Tai Youth Group, insisted that local youths should be informed about the plan to hold the Union Day ceremony at the Panglong Monument in order to have national solidarity and peace.
“The National Ethnic Youth Conference was held first at the Frontier Area-Burma Proper Cooperation Monument. The state government tried to suspend it, but ethnic youth leaders bravely faced them and successfully held the conference. Now, people have become more aware and it’s easier to hold any events at the monument. But, I believe it will be better to inform and invite local youths from Panglong before holding any events at the Panglong Monument. Cooperation will depend on the number of manpower. It’s a way of politeness to show recognition towards the host ethnic youths,” he said.
The State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended the previous Union Day ceremony and held a peace talk with youths.
It is unsure whether or not she will attend the ceremony this year.
