“The ceremony was not a very big one. In the morning, we made food donation to the monks. We held a lunch party together in the afternoon and party patron Lt-Gen Hso Ten gave a speech there. Some representatives from the Shan State Army (SSA) and some public representatives also delivered speeches. That is all,” said the spokesperson of the party, Major Sai La.

Another headquarters officers told SHAN that the 41st anniversary of the founding of Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) on August 16 was held at Wan Hai Village in Kehsi township where the party headquarters is located. The general public, the members of the forces, and the party members, 453 of them in total attended the ceremony. Sao Hso Ten recounted the history of the party, the timeline, and the reevaluation of the party’s journey and that the party will stand firmly for the nation and its people with courage and prudence to proceed in the coming future.

“Currently, there has been no contact from U Thein Zaw (the SSPP’s opposite number in Naypyitaw for peace talks). There is neither meeting plan nor battles going on as well. Everything is normal at the moment,” said the spokesperson.

Shan State Army (SSA) was first founded by Mahadevi Sao Nang Hearn Hkam, consort to the first president of the Union of Burma, Saopha of Yawnghwe Sao Shwe Thaike in 1964. As for the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), it was founded by her son Sao Tzang Yawnghwe and Sao Seng Suk, also known as Khun Kya Nu, in 1971.

Cited from the News of Shan Herald:  http://www.burmese.panglong.org/news/85-2008-08-01-03-14-40/3417-2012-08-16-11-12-06.html Thursday, 16 August 2012 18:09