Leader of the anti-Naypyitaw Shan State Army (SSA) ‘South’ Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, at the 52nd anniversary of the Shan State Resistance Day on May 21, urged all people in Burma including ethnic nationalities to continue supporting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi because she is the only one who can lead the way in the implementation of the Panglong agreement, which was signed between her father Aung San, who represented the Burmans, and leaders of Shans, Kachins and Chins in 1947.
“The main cause of the political problems in Burma is that the Panglong agreement has been neglected and violated by the military junta. The problems between the ethnic groups and the Burmese Army will never come to an end if the agreement is still ignored,” said Lt-Gen Yawd Serk at the ceremony held at its Loi Taileng Headquarters, which was attended by over 2,000 participants including news agencies.
“I would urge all ethnic peoples to remember the agreement that had guaranteed our rights. But to implement it, only Daw Aung Sann Suu Kyi can play the central role. We all therefore must keep supporting her,” he said.
The agreement promises “Full autonomy in internal administration” and “rights and privileges which are fundamental in democratic countries.”
According to him, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also needs to promote participation of the ethnic nationalities to build a genuine union. “Without ethnic participation, it will be difficult to resolve the problems of Burma.”
In addition, the most important thing for ethnic groups and peoples in Burma is to be more united as the military junta will try to destroy the unity of the ethnic people. “At the same time, the junta will also try to rig the general elections to make itself a legitimate government,” Yawd serk said.
The planned elections are not inclusive because parties that won in the 1990 elections are not involved. “I would therefore urge all to boycott it because it will only be a ‘selection’, not an ‘election’.
Afterwards, he urged all ceasefire and non-ceasefire groups especially the Shan State Army (SSA) ‘North’ to be more united, to make the right decision for the sake of the country and to think of the people’s interests than self-interest.
Sao Pai Merng, an advisor to the SSA ‘South’ also warned the people not to fall for the junta’s “browbeat and sweet-talk” game.
Regarding Naypyitaw’s tunnel constructions, Yawd Serk said that the junta is preparing for a full-scale war in the near future.
May 21 marks the day when Sao Noi Saw Yanda with 30 other patriots swore the sacred oath to struggle for self-determination and equality in 1958.
