Dear Pi Noung Tai,

Just a reminder and to inform.

Our National Day is significant in more than one way - it was on this day in February 1947 that our National Flag was first raised at Panglong and the British Union Jack was lowered officially in the presence of top British Officials in Mong Tai and Representatives of the British Government and the British India Office.

This signifies that we of Mong Tai / Federated Shan States* were independent virtually a whole year before  the Burmese in January 1948 when Admiral Lord Mountbatten, last British Viceroy and first Governor-General of India handed independence to the Union of Burma to a Shan, Sao Shwe Thaike, Saopha of Yawnghwe - the First President of the Union that is now defunct.

In 2000 as a result of a secret survey and canvassing of our People of the Se-Veings or Townships that was courageously carried out secretly under the the leadership and direction of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy; our Se-Viengs voted for Independence in a majority of 48:8.

This vote was confirmed again in 2004 when the Representatives of the Se-Viengs instructed the Interim Shan Government to Declare and Affirm our Independence on April 17/2005 that is not only the Tai & Shan People's democratic right, but is is also our Right by the 1947 Treaty/ Agreement of Panglong and the 1948 Constitution of the Union of Burma that the BSPP Burmese military regime unilaterally abolished and abrogated following their 1962 coup d'etat.

In any Agreement, whether it be political, legal, constitutional, financial or commercial when one signatory to such an Agreement unilaterally reneges and abrogates it, the other signatories are also freed of all obligations, duties and responsibilities to that contract, treaty or agreement.

In February 2006, the Supreme Council of the  Se-Veings of Shan State/ Mong Tai again confirmed their vote for Independence at a  secret jungle conclave at great risk of death not only to themselves individually but also of imprisonment, torture and death to their families.

Some of our Pi Nong also ask why no open vote and general elections were held?

The answer is simple. Our country is wholly occupied by Burmese military forces and an open and free election is impossible.

Could the Free French have held free elections in Nazi Occupied France during the Second World War?

When the Saophas relinquished their Executive and Ruling Powers, they did so to the People of the Shan States and to the Shan Government - NOT to the Burmese regime of BSPP and their successor regimes and it is the Right of our Tai/Shan People to choose and elect or appoint their Government  in times of alien and Foreign Occupation;  and they have chosen to do so not once but THRICE in 2000, 2004 and 2006 when the majority increased to 54:2.

Maisoong kha,
Hso-khan-pha,
President, Shan Federation or Federated Shan States*
Interim Shan Government.

*Federated Shan States refer to the Palaung, Pa-O, Wa, Shan States and other ethnic regions in Shan States and not to the former princely States whose Rulers have formally relinquished their Executive Powers to the Peoples of the Shan States.

 

Let us look to the future with confidence!!!

 
Dear Pi; Naung. Tai: Tang: Seng;

May I add a few more words to Sao Surkhanpha's reminder message.

Shan National Day is to be remembered in perpetual for our Shan/Tai generations to come. We should strive to preserve it ever since we got it back with blood sweat and tears in February 1947. It gave us back our sense of identity and belonging to each other as a proud new N A T I O N for nearly a year until we jointly declared INDEPENDENCE with the Burman as part of the UNION OF BURMA in January 1948. We are sliding back to the fringe of abyss, but not quite.

The Interim Shan Government reclaimed it in April 2005 on the strength of our legal and constitutional rights on behalf of Shan people to reflect the will of the overwhelming majority. The ISG will not rest until we gain recognition by the worlds "International Court of Justice" and eventually by United Nations.

In marking our historic moment, on the eve of flag raising ceremony on the evening of 10th February 1947, a scuffle broke out between the bodyguards of General Aung San and that of Saophalong of Yawngwhe Sao Kham Thuk. Some Shan leaders wanted General Aung San to sign the Panglong Treaty Agreement on the spot as opposed to those who felt very strongly that the Panglong Agreement was an internal affair of the Hills People. Among the members who opposed included the Sandhurst trained British army officer Sao Htun Yin who was overwhelmed by emotional reactions that resulted in pulling out his pistol threatening to delay the auspicious occasion. Nevertheless, the flag raising ceremony went ahead as Saophalong of Tawnpeng Sao Panseng handed over our very first Tai/Shan flag to Hkun Sang Sam, the Secretary of the Shan State Council. This incident was both confirmed by Sao Khor Sur, now 83 and Sao Sur Awn, 73, who claimed the flag was designed and hand sewn by Wat Panglong near by and the rope used was in two tiers of different materials because the flag pole was too high. When the first Shan National Anthem, that was composed by Dr Ba Nyan of Hsipaw, was sung, I could understand the chorus was somewhat out of tune for lack of practice, according to the eye witnessed accounts.

Strictly speaking the Shan people of Shan State was the co-founder of the unitary state union. I believe most of our Shan leaders didn't realize the far-reaching ramifications of the legal and constitutional meanings of the terms "unitary" as opposed to the "federal". When Shan leaders made a proposal to hire foreign legal experts for full consultations on drafting the "union constitution", the idea was quickly shot down by the Burmese leaders as an interference to undermine the union affairs. On the other hand the Burmese leaders were well prepared on constitutional matters well ahead of the 4th January 1948 when independence was declared. The drafting sub-committee that was presided over by General Aung San included U Sein, U Pe Kin ( of Taunggyi), Thakin Mya, Mahn Ba Khaing ( a Karen National), U Tin, U Vum Ko Hau ( Chin), Sama Duwa Sinwa Naung ( Kachin), U Soe Nyunt, U Chan Htoon, Sir Maung Gyee, U Ba Choe and others. At a later stage when a broader 55 member Constitutional Committee was formed, then only were the Shan members represented by Saophalong of Mongpawn Sao Hso Hom ( in-lieu of Saophalong of Hsamonghkam), Saophalong of Mongmyit Sao Hkun Kheo and Saophalong of Yawngwhe Sao Thuk Kham. It was claimed this committee rushed to complete the constitution in 24 hours, with little time for our Shan leaders to scrutinize for fine tuning.

History belongs to the past and we cannot turn the clock back. But one profound lesson to be learnt from these errors of judgments is, we should be vigilant at all times to safeguard our rights and heritage of all Shan people and our Nation State.

Maisoong Serng Mongtai
hkun hom.