The third annual meeting of the Committee of Shan State Unity (CSSU) ended abruptly on 3 March after only the first day of a planned three day conference.
The meeting was halted following the intervention of local government officials in Rangoon.
Sai Leik, a spokesperson for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), explained that officials wanted to sit in and monitor the proceedings.
He said: “They asked us to let them in to the meeting room to listen to the proceedings, we told them that we would report to them after the meeting. They then told us if we did not have permission from local authorities, we would have to stop.”
Sai Leik, who was one also of the meeting's organisers, said he went to the Yangon Western District Office late in the afternoon of 3 March to request permission for the meeting. However, the officer told them that they had to get a recommendation letter from the police and the village tract office.
As it was too late in the day to do this they were unable to proceed.
Sai Leik then asked the District Office Chief for a signed letter that either ordered the CSSU to halt their meeting or gave them permission to continue, but the District Office Chief refused to do either.
Sai Leik said: “Because we did not have the permission paper, the hotel refused to host our meeting.”
Puen Kham, the CSSU Secretary, said that the annual CSSU meeting was being held to discuss some key issues. These included collaboration and unity between the different ethnic groups living in Shan State and future cooperation with the new incoming government.
A number of high profile Shan leaders who are involved in the national peace process were attending the meeting. They included Lieutenant General Yawd Serk, the chairman of the Restoration Council for Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and Khuensai Jaiyen, the managing director of the Pyidaungsu Institute for Peace and Dialogue.
Khun Tun Oo, the chairman of the SNLD and Hso Ten, the leader of the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) were also attending the meeting
Sai Leik said: “We will have to wait and see how far this country will have to go to reach democracy. We will be facing so many challenges."
The committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) was formed in October 2013. It is made up of Shan armed groups, Shan political parties and Shan civil society organisations.
BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
