Defying a ban issued by the Shan State government, a youth conference on the historic grounds of where the Panglong Agreement was signed, kicked off as scheduled today (27 July), drawing hundreds of ethnic representatives from across the country for discussions on peace and federalism.
Already approved, the National Ethnic Youth Conference was cancelled by the government days before it was scheduled to start.
According to rumours, there were fears that the youth conference would negatively affect the upcoming 21st Century Panglong Conference (also Union Peace Conference).
Sai Seng Main, spokesperson of the conference coordination committee said a letter against the ban was submitted to Dr. Aung Than Maung, Shan State minister of ethnic affairs. Sai Seng Main, who is from the Bamar ethnic group, signed the suspension letter that cancelled the conference.
Sai Seng Main said: “We will continue to hold the conference because they are not the only who know how to love the country. Ethnic people also know how to love the country. We believe that the Union of Burma is our country.”
Responding to rumours that the state government informed the committee that the conference could go ahead despite the ban, Sai Seng Main told S.H.A.N that he wasn’t aware of such an arrangement.
“We have fulfilled our duty,” Sai Seng Main said yesterday “We submitted for permission from the government since last month that’s why we believe we have followed the law. We don’t know who decided about the suspension or allowing the conference.”
He said the committee has been preparing for the national ethnic youth conference since 2012 and not intended to coincide with the 21st Century Panglong Conference. Despite the setback, Sai Seng Main believes State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will listen to the voice of the ethnic youths when the Panglong conference happens at the end of August.
Reporting by Hseng Phoo for S.H.A.N.
Translated by Thida Linn
